Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English en
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS
Content archived on 2024-06-18

A device for biological high-throughput assays based on in vitro compartmentalisation

Objective

The vision of putting a lab on a chip has far reaching implications for biological research. Microfluidic systems can now be built that - for example in past research by the applicant - can be used for protein crystallisation with only minute amount of precious proteins. A second challenge is to carry out functional biological assays on a chip. Such assays are used in high-throughput screening, e.g. for novel drug molecule or protein mutants with improved properties for directed evolution of functional proteins. In each case the economy of the assay system (total numbers screened, speed, reliability, quality of the kinetic readout) will crucially determine the success of this combinatorial approach. Water-in-oil droplets within microfluidic channels have the potential to serve as isolated reaction compartments, just like natural cells. Their femtolitre volumes minimise sample consumption and eliminate dispersion of substrates or products. To this end the candidate will build novel microfluidic devices that incoproprate the principle of in vitro compartementalisation. The fabrication of this device, and especially the integration of the various components is a significant challenge.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

Keywords

Topic(s)

Call for proposal

FP7-PEOPLE-2007-4-2-IIF
See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

MC-IIF - International Incoming Fellowships (IIF)

Coordinator

THE CHANCELLOR MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
EU contribution
€ 178 874,06
Address
TRINITY LANE THE OLD SCHOOLS
CB2 1TN CAMBRIDGE
United Kingdom
Region
East of England East Anglia Cambridgeshire CC
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost
No data