Development of an innovative microfluidic instrument

Project aims to develop a microfluidic platform allowing real time monitoring of metabolic and energetic balance shifts in engineered microbes within controllable and adjustable microenvironments.
The main objectives will be to develop:
1. A microfluidic platform to evaluate in real-time growth and metabolism as a function of perturbations. This platform will include image analysis of the acquired data.
2. A collection device to select for individual clones to be sent for metabolomics and genomics analysis. This will include the development of a robotic system and real-time image analysis.

Description

Role of the candidate
The candidate will take part in various steps of the development of a microfluidics system dedicated to the screening of bioengineered micro-organisms, in collaboration with the members of the laboratory already involved in the project. The candidate will develop the instrument and the programs to run the full protocols
1. First development will be the acquisition and image analysis of the clones
2. Second development will include clone selection by programming valves and robotic as well as real-time data analysis

Desired skills and qualifications
The candidate should be an engineer or hold a PhD with expertise in one or more of the following fields: electrical engineering, automation and instrumentation. Candidate should also be proficient in Labview programming or any other language for industrial applications programming. The project is highly multidisciplinary so the candidate should be ready to work and interact with chemists and biologists from both academia and industry. Additional experience or interest in instrument development, or microfluidics would be advantageous but not essential.
1. Chip1 for generation of droplet embedding tunable number (from single) microorganism cell(s) using flow focusing methodology.
2. A disposable Chip2 for incubation and monitoring of microorganisms. Materials on one side of the incubation chamber will be adapted to facilitate diffusion of external gas (O2, CO2) within incubation chamber. Secondly, a thermal coating will be used on one side of the chamber to be able to create local thermal stimuli inside the chamber.
3. Chip 3 for sorting of droplet into microtiter plates using dielectrophoretic fields. Two options for the sorting trigger will be tested: the use of photomultipliers and multiparametric laser detection signal, or the use of real time image processing
4. Final step will be to install the platform in Toulouse inside LISBP lab to test industrially relevant strains.

Desired skills and qualifications:
The candidate should hold a PhD with expertise in one or more of the following fields: droplet microfluidics, microfabircation, and engineering. The project is highly multidisciplinary so the candidate should be ready to work and interact with chemists and biologists from both academia and industry. Additional experience or interest in programming, instrument development, or microbiology would be advantageous but not essential.

Nr of positions available : 1