Selective Molecular Traps in a Microfluidic Platform

Professor Tuomas Knowles (Department of Chemistry) and Professor Ulrich Keyser (Biological and Soft Systems Group)

While nucleic acids carry genetic information in living systems, proteins are the active molecular species forming the nanoscale machinery of life underpinning cellular function and are thus also frequently involved in serious disease states, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. We propose to develop and implement an advanced microfluidic platform for selectively trapping individual proteins and their complexes. Stable trapping in free solution, under native conditions on sufficient time scales for direct observation has the potential to open up a new window into biomolecular behaviour.