Objective A wide range of microfluidic systems are emerging as powerful tools for various studies in physics, chemistry and biology. Due to their unique liquid handling capabilities, outstanding analytical performance, miniaturization and automation microfluidics have attracted a special attention among biomedicine and biological disciplines. For cell-based assays in particular, this new technology can bring an unprecedented level of control over single-cells and their populations, provide precise control of cellular microenvironments and enable typical laboratory operations using only minute amounts of samples. However, despite these exciting promises, the vast majority of cell-based microfluidic devices available today are still in the proof-of-concept state. Accordingly, there is a growing demand for microfluidic systems that support long-term cell growth in well-controlled conditions and allow reproducible and sequential multi-step operations in an automated fashion. This project is aiming to fulfill these needs through the development of an integrated microfluidic device consisting of multiple individual bioreactors, which will allow single-cell entrapment, cultivation, monitoring and analysis under strictly controlled conditions and long periods of time. By utilizing the developed system with genetically identical yeast cells we will investigate how epigenetic and genetic factors interact to enhance the adaptation process and how the adapted state is maintained in populations. The multidisciplinary approach of this project will make it possible to tackle these and other questions in a quantitative and systematic way. The results of this work should improve our basic understanding of the relationship between genetic and epigenetic inheritance systems and their role in the evolution of organisms, while the integrated microfluidic platform we will develop during this fellowship will undoubtedly find a myriad of applications in fundamental and applied biological sciences. Fields of science natural sciencesphysical sciencesclassical mechanicsfluid mechanicsmicrofluidicsengineering and technologyenvironmental biotechnologybioremediationbioreactorssocial sciencessociologyindustrial relationsautomationnatural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsepigenetics Programme(s) FP7-PEOPLE - Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Topic(s) FP7-PEOPLE-2011-IOF - Marie Curie Action: "International Outgoing Fellowships for Career Development" Call for proposal FP7-PEOPLE-2011-IOF See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MC-IOF - International Outgoing Fellowships (IOF) Coordinator VILNIAUS UNIVERSITETAS Address Universiteto g. 3 01513 Vilnius Lithuania See on map Region Lietuva Sostinės regionas Vilniaus apskritis Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Vida Lapinskaite (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window EU contribution No data
