Microfluidics to study the biochemistry of the origins of life: Protomet
This project is completed now. If interested, feel free to contact us.
Biochemistry in microdroplets to study life origins: introduction
Understanding how prebiotic chemistry gave rise to life as we know it represents one of the greatest enduring mysteries.
The complete absence of a historical record requires the collaboration of scientists from different disciplines (biochemistry, microfluidics, biology, and biophysics, among others) with access to advanced tools to make meaningful progress.
In this light, the Protomet project aims to train eight young researchers in a collaborative consortium to tackle this problem.
Together, they will develop a reconstituted protometabolism within compartments consisting of droplets, coacervates, vesicles, coacervate-containing vesicles, and compartments implemented into microfluidic devices.
Biochemistry in microdroplets to study life origins: project description
We are exploring how lipid bilayer vesicles are formed using droplet microfluidics to understand the pathway of the OB1 pressure controller (Elveflow), which gives unprecedented flow rate control (0.05% accuracy), allowing for precise and rapid control.
Subsequently, we will reconstitute on a microfluidic device, in collaboration with our consortium partners such as Cherry Biotech, the multistep prebiotic biochemical reactions, in which the control of pH is essential because several consecutive steps of protometabolic processes are dependent upon changes in pH.
Ultimately, the goal is to produce coacervate and lipid vesicle droplets containing catalytically active peptides to shed some light on the biochemistry of the origins of life.
The Protomet project helped develop an artificial cell droplet pack, a cancer cell migration pack, a neutrophil chemotaxis pack, a giant unilamellar vesicle production pack, a microbiology incubator, a microfluidic cell culture without CO2 incubator, and a stage top incubator.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 MSCA-ITN under grant agreement No 813873 (ProtoMet).
Researcher
Camila Betterelli Giuliano
PhD candidate Elvesys/University of Strasbourg
- Extensive experience with startups, digital innovation and market research
- Master in Bioscience Enterprises from the University of Cambridge, UK
- Bachelor in Biotechnological Engineering from UNESP – Assis, Brazil
- 2 publications, first author in a publication from Harvard.
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Areas of research:
Biotechnological engineering, droplet generation and manipulation, startups, market assessment and business in life science.
Check out the review written by Camila about droplet encapsulation!