Daniel Brassard

Roles and responsibilities

Senior Research Officer and Team Leader for Microfluidic Systems team at the National Research Council of Canada, Medical Devices Research Center. 

Expert with 15 years of experience in the development of lab-on-a-chip technologies for point-of-care, clinical, environmental, food/water safety, and space applications. Dr. Brassard main area of research includes the development of a next-generation centrifugal microfluidic technologies for the automation and deployment of complex bioanalytical assays. He also leads the development of: (i) integrated chip-based biomolecular assays for the extraction and identification of nucleic acids, proteins, bacteria, and viruses in clinical and remote settings, (ii) microfluidic technologies for preparation of libraries for sequencing, (iii) highly-integrated electrowetting-based digital microfluidic technologies, (iv) materials and processes for the fabrication of low-cost thermoplastic microfluidic devices, and (v) next-generation interactive and dynamic document security technologies. Strong and recent experience in leading large-scale (>$1M) research projects and coordinating research activities within interdisciplinary teams and across multiple organizations. Core contributor to several successful key proposals and grants for external partners and funding agencies in the past 15 years. Dr. Brassard leads a team of scientific and technical personnel on a daily basis. Author of more than 35 peered review publications and inventor of 13 patent families. Citations: >2000, h-index: 22, i-10 index (Nov 2022).

Current research and/or projects

Microfluidics and lab-on-a-chip technologies:

  • Bioanalytical micro and nano devices for point-of-care, clinical, environmental, and food/water safety applications.
  • Integrated chip-based biomolecular assays for the identification of nucleic acids, proteins, bacteria, and viruses in clinical and remote settings.
  • Next-generation centrifugal microfluidic technologies for the automation and deployment of complex bioanalytical assays.
  • Materials and processes for the fabrication of highly-integrated low-cost microfluidic devices.
  • Microfluidic magnetic capture technologies for the isolation of target analytes from raw samples.
  • Highly-integrated electrowetting-based digital microfluidic technologies for the detection and identification of biological targets.

Document security:

  • Conception of next-generation interactive and dynamic document security technologies.
  • Micro and nano fabrication technologies for low-cost mass-manufacturing of ultrathin security technologies.

Material science and thin films:

  • High dielectric constant and thermochromic materials for microelectronic and optical applications.

Research and/or project statements

Research statement for selected recent research projects:

1. Development of a microfluidic-based sample preparation system for the International Space Station (ISS).

  • Objective: Perform automated extraction of macromolecules from different sample specimens and produce clean, concentrated samples that are suitable for analysis in the International Space Station.
  • Role: Scientific and technical lead of the project. In charge of the overall planning and execution of the project, including: development, design, fabrication, assembly, testing, and qualification of the single-use centrifugal microfluidic cartridges that are designed to perform automated sample preparation assays in the ISS. Oversight the overall development of two assays for the extraction of nucleic acid and target proteins from whole blood samples. Responsible for overall performance of the assays and communication with the Canadian Space Agency, industrial partner (MDA) and NASA. This project, which is based around a centrifugal microfluidic technology developped at the NRC, aims to bridge the gap between the raw samples and existing ISS detection systems, allowing not only continuous health monitoring to be performed directly on the ISS, but also improving the capacity to collect the information required for accurate remote medical diagnostics.

2. Automated library preparation for decentralized SARS-COV-2 surveillance

  • Objective: In the context of COVID-19 pandemic, develop and deploy a method of automated library preparation of SARS-COV-2 full genome sequencing directly from raw clinical samples.
  • Role: Project Lead. Lead the development and field validation of an automated and multiplexed library preparation technology that can be easily deployed in remote locations to transform raw clinical SARS-CoV2 samples to a format that can be interpreted directly by existing sequencing technologies. Supervised the design, testing and optimization of integrated, compact, and field deployable centrifugal microfluidic devices enabling automated lysis of the raw sample, RNA extraction, reverse transcription, ARTIC PCR, DNA purification, end-preparation and final clean-up.

3. Next-Generation Interactive and Dynamic Bank Note Security Features

  • Objective: Development of a novel class of disruptive security technologies enabling a large variety of active, overt and visually attractive effects that are (i) very difficult to counterfeit and (ii) easily used by the general public for authentication of security documents such as bank notes.
  • Role: Project Lead. Leadership of the overall project delivery, including: overall strategic planning, interactions and scientific communications with the client, definition of project objectives and priorities, supervision of technical and laboratory work, and management of the relations with national and international partners involved in the project. Conceived, proposed, and demonstrated several new bank note security concepts leading to the publication of more than four families of patents and applications.

Education

09/2003 – 12/2007        Ph.D. in Material Science and Energy – University of Québec, INRS-EMT, Canada.

05/2002 – 09/2003:       Master in Material Science and Energy (extended in a Ph.D.) - University of Québec, INRS-EMT, Canada. 

09/1998 – 05/2002:       Bachelor degree: B. Eng. in Engineering Physics - École Polytechnique de Montréal, Canada.

Professional activities/interests

  • 2021 - Present     Member of President Research Excellence Advisory Committee (PREAC)
  • 2021 - Present     Member of the CRAFT Scientific Committee (Center for Research and Applications in Fluidic Technologies)
  • 2019 - 2020         Member of NRC’s Early Career Researchers Network (ECRN).

Awards

  • Excellence Award, Medical Devices Research Center, 2022
  • Excellence Award, Medical Devices Research Center, 2022
  • Intant Price Award, Medical Devices Research Center, 2021
  • Intant Price Award, Medical Devices Research Center, 2020
  • CRAFT symposium award, 2020
  • Outstanding Achievement Award, Medical Devices Research Centre, 2016 
  • NSERC Postdoctoral fellow (PDF) scholarship, 2007 to 2009 
  • FQRNT Postdoctoral fellow scholarship, 2007 to 2009
  • Desjardins price for doctoral degree (ACFAS), September 2004
  • CGS Canada graduate scholarship for Ph.D. (NSERC), 2004 to 2006
  • FQRNT Postgraduate Scholarship for Ph.D., 2004 to 2007
  • NSERC Postgraduate Scholarship (master), 2002 to 2004
  • NATEQ Postgraduate Scholarship (master), 2002 to 2004
  • NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Awards, 2000 and 2001
  • Scholarship of La Fondation de l’École Polytechnique de Montréal, 1998 to 2001
  • 1st prize in Canada at the Canadian Association of Physicists (CAP) High School Prize examination (over 2000 participants), 1998

Inventions and patents

  • US Patent App. 17/265,162, Plasmon Resonance (PR) System, Instrument, Cartridge, and Method, 2020 
  • US Patent App. 17/265,292, Magnetic Nanoparticle Distribution in Microfluidic Chip, 2020
  • PCT/IB2020/056483, Oil Residue Protection in Oil-Encapsulated Digital Microfluidics, 2020
  • PCT/IB2019/056616, Method and Device for High Gradient Magnetic Separation of Species, (2019-08-02)
  • PCT/IB2015/059971, Janus Microparticles Aligning with Gravitation or Acceleration, (2015-12-23)
  • PCT/IB2015/059968, Dynamic Security Features Activated By Acceleration, (2015-12-23)
  • PCT/IB2015/051591, Pneumatic Manifold for Centrifugal Microfluidic Operations, (2015-03-04)
  • PCT/CA2011/000154, Method for the Fabrication of 3D Microfluidic Devices Based on Open-Through Thermoplastic Elastomer Membranes, (2011-02-15)
  • US20040864472, Titanium silicate films with high dielectric constant, (2004-06-10)

Key publications

Lidija Malic, Daniel Brassard, Dillon Da Fonte,‡ Christina Nassif,‡ Maxence Mounier,‡ André Ponton, Matthias Geissler, Matthew Shiu, Keith Morton, Jason Ferreira, and Teodor Veres “Automated sample-to-answer centrifugal microfluidic system for rapid molecular diagnostics of SARS-CoV-2”. Accepted for publication in Lab Chip (2022). *** Cover Page***

Byeong-Ui Moon,* Liviu Clime, Javier Alejandro Hernandez-Castro, Daniel Brassard, Christina Nassif, Lidija Malic, and Teodor Veres, “On-the-fly Phase Transition and Density Changes of Aqueous Two-Phase Systems on a Centrifugal Microfluidic Platform”, Langmuir, 38, 79-85 (2022)

B.-U. Moon, L. Clime, D. Brassard, A. Boutin, J. Daoud, K. Morton and T. Veres, “An automated centrifugal microfluidic assay for whole blood fractionation and isolation of multiple cell populations using an aqueous two-phase system”, Lab Chip, 21, 4060–4070, (2021). *** Cover Page***

M. Geissler, D. Brassard†, L. Clime, A. V. C. Pilar, L. Malic, J. Daoud, V. Barrère, C. Luebbert, B. W. Blais, N. Corneau, and T. Veres, “Centrifugal microfluidic lab-on-a-chip system for rapid, automated sample-to-answer detection of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli, Analyst, 145, 6831-6845, 2020.  †Equal contribution ***Cover page***

K.-Z. Liu, G. Tian, A. C. T. Ko, M. Geissler, D. Brassard and T. Veres, “Detection of renal biomarkers in chronic kidney disease using microfluidics: progress, challenges and opportunitiesBiomed. Microdevices, 22, 29 (2020). ***Review Article***

D. Brassard†, M. Geissler, M. Descarreaux, D. Tremblay, J. Daoud, L. Clime, M. Mounier D. Charlebois, T. Veres, "Extraction of nucleic acids from blood: Unveiling the potential of active pneumatic pumping in centrifugal microfluidics for integration and automation of sample preparation processes”. Lab Chip, 19, 1941–1952, (2019).  † Equal contribution. ***Cover page***

L. Clime, J. Daoud, D. Brassard, L. Malic, M. Geissler, T. Veres, “Active pumping and control of flows in centrifugal microfluidics: Principles and developments”. Microfluid. Nanofluidics, 23, p. 29, (2019). ***Review Article***

L. Clime†, D. Brassard†, M. Geissler, and T. Veres, “Active pneumatic control of centrifugal microfluidic flows for lab-on-a-chip applications,” Lab Chip, 15, 2400–2411, (2015). † Equal contribution.

A. M. Foudeh†, D. Brassard†, M. Tabrizian, and T. Veres, “Rapid and multiplex detection of Legionella’s RNA using digital microfluidics,” Lab Chip, vol. 15, no. 6, pp. 1609–1618, (2015). †Equal contribution.

L. Malic, X. Zhang, D. Brassard, L. Clime, J. Daoud, C. Luebbert, V. Barrere, A. Boutin, S. Bidawid, J. Farber, N. Corneau, and T. Veres, “Polymer-based microfluidic chip for rapid and efficient immunomagnetic capture and release of Listeria monocytogenes,” Lab Chip, 15, 3994–4007, (2015). ***Cover page***

L. Clime, X. D. Hoa, N. Corneau, K. J. Morton, C. Luebbert, M. Mounier, D. Brassard, M. Geissler, S. Bidawid, J. Farber, and T. Veres, “Microfluidic filtration and extraction of pathogens from food samples by hydrodynamic focusing and inertial lateral migration,” Biomed. Microdevices, 17, p. 17, (2015).

S. Kuss, D. Polcari, M. Geissler, D. Brassard, J. Mauzeroll. “Assessment of multidrug resistance on cell coculture patterns using scanning electrochemical microscopy” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 110 (23), p. 9249-9254 (2013).

L. Cocker, L. V. Titova, S. Fourmaux, G. Holloway, H.-C. Bandulet, D. Brassard, J.-C. Kieffer, M. A. El Khakani, and F. A. Hegman. “Phase diagram of the ultrafast photoinduced insulator-metal transition in vanadium dioxide”, Physical Review B, vol. 85, 155120 (2012).

L. Clime, D. Brassard, and T. Veres, “Self-priming of liquids in capillary autonomous microfluidic systems” Microfluidic Nanofluidic, vol. 12, pp. 371-382 (2012).

D. Brassard, L. Clime, K. Li, M. Geissler, C. Miville-Godin, E. Roy and T. Veres “3D thermoplastic elastomer microfluidic devices for biological probe immobilization,” Lab on a Chip, vol. 11, pp. 4099-4107 (2011).

L. Malic, D. Brassard, T. Veres, and M. Tabrizian, "Integration and detection of biochemical assays in digital microfluidic LOC devices," Lab on a chip, vol. 10, pp. 418-31 (2010). ***Review Article***

L. Clime, D. Brassard, and T. Veres, "Numerical modeling of electrowetting processes in digital microfluidic devices," Computers & Fluids, vol. 39, pp. 1510-1515 (2010).

T.L. Cocker, L.V. Titova, S. Fourmaux, H.-C. Bandulet, D. Brassard, J.-C. Kieffer, M. A El Khakani, and F. A Hegmann, “Terahertz conductivity of the metal-insulator transition in a nanogranular VO2 film,” Applied Physics Letters, vol. 97, p. 221905 (2010).

Y. Awad, M. El Khakani, D. Brassard, R. Smirani, N. Camiré, M. Lessard, C. Aktik, M. Scarlete, and J. Mouine, "Effect of thermal annealing on the structural and mechanical properties of amorphous silicon carbide films prepared by polymer-source chemical vapor deposition," Thin Solid Films, vol. 518, pp. 2738-2744 (2010).

L. Clime, D. Brassard, and T. Veres, "Numerical modeling of electrowetting transport processes for digital microfluidics," Microfluidics and Nanofluidics, vol. 8, pp. 599-608 (2010).

L. Clime, D. Brassard, and T. Veres, "Numerical modeling of the splitting of magnetic droplets by multiphase lattice Boltzmann equation," Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 105, p. 07B517 (2009).

K. Li, D. Brassard, F. Normandin, C. Miville-Godin, M. Geissler, E. Roy, and T. Veres, "Fabrication of Microfluidic Devices in Thermoplastic Elastomeric Materials for DNA Detection on Thermal Plastic Substrate," Materials Research Society Symposium Proceedings, Materials Research Society, 1222, p. 57-62 (2009).

D. Brassard, L. Malic, F. Normandin, M. Tabrizian, and T. Veres, “Water-oil core-shell droplets for electrowetting-based digital microfluidic devices”. Lab on a Chip 8, p. 1342-1349 (2008).

D. Brassard and M. A. El Khakani “Thermal behavior of the microstructure and the electrical properties of magnetron-sputtered high-k titanium silicate thin films”. Journal of Applied Physics 103, p.114110 (2008).

D. Brassard, L. Malic, F. Normandin, M. Tabrizian, and T. Veres, “Improving the operation of electrowetting-based digital microfluidic systems by using water-oil core-shell droplets”. Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences (MicroTAS), p. 772-774 (2008).

D. J. Hilton, R. P. Prasankumar, S. Fourmaux, A. Cavalleri, D. Brassard, M. A. El Khakani, J. C. Kieffer, A. J. Taylor, and R. D. Averitt “Enhanced photosusceptibility near Tc for the light-induced insulator-to-metal phase transition in VO2,  Physical Review Letter, 99, 226401 (2007).

D. Brassard, L. Ouellet, and M. A. El Khakani “Substrate biasing effect on the electrical properties of magnetron-sputtered high-k titanium silicate thin films”, Journal of Applied Physics 102, p.034106-1-8 (2007).

D. Brassard, L. Ouellet, and M. A. El Khakani, “Room-temperature deposited titanium silicate thin films for MIM capacitor applications” IEEE Electron Device Letter, 28 (4), p. 261-263 (2007).

D. K. Sarkar, D. Brassard, M. A. El Khakani, and L. Ouellet “Dielectric properties of sol-gel derived high-k titanium silicate thin films” Thin Solid Films 515, p.4788-4793 (2007).

D. Brassard, D. K. Sarkar, M. A. El Khakani, and L. Ouellet, “Compositional effect on the dielectric properties of high-k titanium silicate thin films deposited by means of a co-sputtering process”, Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology A 24,  p.600-605 (2006).

D. K. Sarkar, D. Brassard, M. A. El Khakani, and L. Ouellet, “Single electron tunneling at room temperature in nanocrystalline TixSi1-xO2 composite thin films”, Applied Physics letter 87, 253108 (2005).

D. Brassard, S. Fourmaux, M. Jean-Jacques, J.C. Kieffer, and M. A. El Khakani, “Grain size effect on the semiconductor-metal phase transition characteristics of magnetron-sputtered VO2 thin films”, Applied Physics letter 87, 051910 (2005).

D. Brassard and M. A. El Khakani, “Pulsed-laser deposition of high-k titanium silicate thin films”, Journal of Applied Physics 98, p.054912 1-9 (2005).

D. Brassard, D. K. Sarkar, M. A. El Khakani, and L. Ouellet, “High-k titanium silicate thin films grown by reactive magnetron sputtering for complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor applications”, Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology A 22, p.851-855 (2004).

D. Brassard, D. K. Sarkar, M. A. El Khakani, and L. Ouellet, “Tuning the electrical resistivity of pulsed laser deposited TiSiOx thin films from insulating to conductive behaviors”, Applied Physics Letters 84, p. 2304-2306 (2004).

D. Brassard and M. A. El Khakani, “Dielectric properties of amorphous hydrogenated silicon carbide thin films grown by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition”, Journal of Applied Physics 93, p. 4066 (2003).

Previous work experience

  • 08/2016 – Present        Team Lead, Microfluidic Systems – National Research Council Canada
  • 01/2020 – Present        Senior Research Officer – National Research Council Canada
  • 11/2010 – 01/2020        Research Officer – National Research Council Canada  
  • 11/2008 – 11/2010        Research Associate – National Research Council Canada
  • 12/2007 – 11/2008        Postdoctoral fellow in experimental medicine – Laval University, Department of surgery
  • 06/2007 – 11/2008        Visiting worker – National Research Council Canada
Daniel Brassard

Daniel Brassard

Senior Research Officer
Medical Devices
75 Mortagne Blvd
Boucherville, Quebec J4B 6Y4
Preferred language: French
Other(s): French, English
Telephone: 450-641-5821

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Expertise

Health, Biotechnology, Medical Technology, Materials, Polymers, Sciences, Engineering, Material processing, Physics, Medical physics, Space sciences, Space technology, Technology, Biotechnology/genomics, Microelectronics, Nanotechnology, Printable electronics