Advisor

This dissertation describes the development of simple and non-photolithographic techniques for patterning proteins. Protein patterns have relied mainly on conventional photolithography and photolithography-based soft lithography, which require sophisticated instruments and clean room facilities and therefore are expensive. As simple and cost-effective alternatives, the four techniques developed in this study allow protein patterning to be performed at bench top in any common laboratories. The first technique utilizes the dewetting of a polystyrene (PS) thin film on a protein-resistant poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-modified substrate. The dewetted PS droplets allow the selective adsorption of proteins while the exposed PEG-modified substrate act as the non-fouling background. Micro- and nanoscale droplet patterns can easily be achieved by tuning the thickness of PS thin films. The second technique is based on stepwisely contact printing octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) gradients by using a hemispherical poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) stamp. The stepwise OTS gradient is further backfille