Building a living cell from scratch using microfluidics (BEP/MEP)

Description

Throughout the course of evolution life has developed a staggering complexity at the cellular level. To shed light on the fundamental blueprint of a cell and get a better understanding of the governing principles of cellular life, we are aiming to build a synthetic cell from the bottom-up using molecular building blocks (www.basyc.nl).

More specifically, we developed a microfluidic technology, Octanol-assisted Liposome Assembly (OLA), to produce cell-sized (5–20 µm) liposomes in our lab. These liposomes can be immobilized using microfluidic traps for further manipulations. In the past, we already succeeded in mimicking the form of rod-shaped bacteria by squeezing the liposomes into narrow confinements. Further, liposome growth was established by recruiting lipids from the external environment, and liposome division was induced by colliding them against well-defined microfluidic structures. Now the time has come to combine these modules into an integrated lab-on-a-chip system to establish a dynamic cycle of growing and dividing liposomes, mimicking a continuous life cycle of a living cell. 

In this experimental and multidisciplinary project, you will gain experience working in a wetlab, learn how to operate a microfluidic setup, and perform basic light- and epifluorescence microscopy experiments. Based on these experiments we can further optimize parameters that are essential for the on-chip production of synthetic cells. 

Note that previous knowledge in biology or chemistry is helpful, but not necessary.

Contact

Bert Van Herck (B.VanHerck@tudelft.nl), Prof. Dr. Gijsje Koenderink (G.H.Koenderink@tudelft.nl), and Prof. Dr. Cees Dekker (C.Dekker@tudelft.nl)