Projects

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and plastic pollution are global emergencies. Small microplastics (sMPs) (> 100µm) cause havoc in nature and are alarmingly prevalent in humans (e.g., placenta, brain, blood, and bone). sMPs also increase the risk of AMR by absorbing other pollutants (e.g., antibiotics) and promoting microbial aggregation and biofilm formation. Making screening and evaluation methods for new antibiofilm compounds widely available is essential. This project aims to develop a sustainable and democratized microfluidics platform to fight sMPs-induced AMR. Droplet-based microfluidics shows great potential for advancing knowledge and tackling this problem, allowing separation and manipulation of samples into thousands of miniscule drops (environments) for parallel studies. By using sustainable droplet technology with novel 3D-printed component for automated screening and evaluation of antibiofilm compounds, the project develops innovative solutions for global challenges.

The importance of antimicrobial membranes has significantly grown during the recent COVID pandemic era. Nanofibrous antimicrobial membranes have seen novel applications in biomedicine, such as face masks against viral threats or wound dressings used in chronic patient care. Composite electrospun nanofiber meshes are convenient to use as antimicrobial membranes. At present, the lack of automated, inline quality control limits both the pilot and large scale production of multi-material multilayer composite membranes. The alternative, manual re-calibration greatly limits production throughput and thus commercial viability. The goal of this R&D activity is to create technology for scalable inline quality control of electrospun nanofiber meshes. Using cognitive electronics, the system will be capable of continuous multiparameter monitoring and electrospinning process control to maintain optimal product quality and distribution.

Reproduction is regulated by the endocrine system and its disturbances by endocrine disruptive chemicals (EDCs) may lead to infertility. As humans are constantly exposed to EDCs through the use of common household items and personal care products, it is important to test chemicals for their potential activity as endocrine disruptors affecting reproductive function. Project MERLON aims to study the effects of EDCs on sexual development and function in order to deliver new approach methodologies (NAMs) for EDC identification. While MERLON targets the vulnerable stages of development from fetal to puberty, MERLON2, with additional partner TalTech, will add one more sensitive window of susceptibility in female reproduction to the project: the adult preovulatory ovarian follicle, where the oocyte maturation takes place. In collaboration with TalTech, it was recently demonstrated that follicular somatic cells (FSCs) lose sensitivity to follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) in the presence of a mixture of 13 EDCs. FSH is crucial for both, the oocyte maturation and for the synthesis of steroid hormones by the FSCs. We have also demonstrated the intricate heterogeneity of somatic cells in the ovarian follicle. The roles that FSC subpopulations play in the adverse effects of EDCs is unknown and unaddressed by the initial MERLON project. MERLON2 will complement the aims of the consortium by developing NAMs based on single cell transcriptomics, automated image analysis and machine learning to understand the effect of EDCs on FSC subpopulations and their sensitivity to FSH. This will increase the research output for MERLON in the number of proposed NAMs and quantitative adverse outcome pathways. As a result of MERLON2 the range of stakeholders will enlarge, increasing the public awareness related to the harmful health effects of EDCs, and proposing new approaches to resolve the complicates issue of testing substances in everyday products for their adverse effects on human fertility.

New or reoccurring bacterial threats are a major challenge of this century, and a delayed response due to the lack of field-testing options risks human lives and causing an epidemic. Classical microbiology techniques are relatively slow, while cytometric methods allow the measurement of cell count, morphology etc. in an easy, reliable, and fast way. State of the art flow cytometers are high-throughput benchtop instruments that are neither portable nor cheap enough for field testing, causing logistic delays in bacterial testing in remote areas and conflict zones or where infrastructure is limited. The goal of this R&D activity is to create the proof of concept of and develop the methodology for low-cost, fully portable flow cytometers based on droplet microfluidics, which will not only allow field analysis of bacteria, but will have a single-cell resolution. Furthermore, through cognitive electronics, the system will be easy to use and fully automated from sample input to result output.

There are many antimicrobial substances (e.g. antibiotics) in the use globally that are starting to lose their activity against pathogenic microbes (antimicrobial resistance). This is serious threat to human health and economy in general. This project aimed to develop new experimental technologies to investigate certain molecular mechanisms in the nature that can lead to such resistance. We used novel droplet technologies to investigate such mechanisms at single cell level in bacteria population. Water-in-oil-droplets are like small test-tubes that enable carrying out parallel investigation of biological and chemical phenomena in tens and even hundreds of thousands of such “test-tubes”. This high-throughput approach helps understanding biological problems better as large experimental datasets help seeing the patterns better with more confidence. In our case we investigated phenotypic heterogeneity in genetically identical bacteria populations that can lead to survival of bacteria during antibiotic treatment. Firstly, we developed user-friendly droplet analysis tools that help investigating biological experiments in droplets. Using droplets for experimental analysis is not yet mainstream, often because of the need for highly specialized tools or trained personnel. We addressed this issue by developing and comparing droplet tools that are easy to implement in non-droplet biological and chemical laboratories worldwide. Secondly, we used developed tools in our own laboratory to investigate how different is antibiotic impact on bacteria that are in different stages in their life cycle. This knowledge helps understanding why some bacteria manage to survive during antibiotic treatment without developing mutations. This in turn can help researchers to prevent spread of antibiotic resistance. As a project manager I am extremely satisfied that we developed user-friendly droplet technologies that help widening the access to droplet technologies worldwide.