ON-CHIP CELL HANDLING AND ANALYSIS

The project focuses on the design and realization of microsystems and microfluidic devices provided with several sensor and analysis functions for cell arrays and suspended cell analysis. We aim at both generic systems, that will find a broad application range, and at a few specific applications.

Despite its increasing importance in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, the field of automated cell analysis is still at its infancy. In order to deploy robust cytoanalytical systems with a high potential for parallelization, thus allowing their employment in high-throughput screening systems, sensorµsystem technology and biotechnology must inevitably join forces. Both disciplines have undergone significant progress during the past decade. Cooperation has, however, often been hampered by fundamentally differing approaches towards problem-solving (hardware topdownversus biochemistry bottom-up).

Within this Research Training Network, specialists from several disciplines work together with the objective of developing novel integrated cell measurement systems and techniques. Single cell response to chemical and electrical stimuli, and intercellular communication between surface-attached cells under accurate control of the cell environment by microfluidic techniques, as well as suspended single cell analysis in microfluidic flow-through systems, where mechanical (cell size, shape, viscosity), optical (transparency), electrical (conductivity, permittivity) and biochemical properties are acquired, are studied. Applications of this work are found in disease research, cell separation, cell culture control, and toxicology.

The partners have ample experience in training and teaching of students (MSc and PhD). The cooperation represents a very attractive opportunity for early stage researchers to acquire interdisciplinary knowledge in a rapidly emerging field and to enrichment their future scientific and industrial careers.