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Project

Leveraging droplet microfluidics and nucleic acid engineering for development of a CRISPR-based cell imaging toolbox

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is the golden standard for DNA imaging in cells, but it involves lengthy experimental workflows and genomic DNA denaturation. CRISPR-Cas9 (stands for: Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats and associated protein 9) technology, alternatively, has enabled specific cell imaging without the need for DNA denaturation. Still, all so far reported CRISPR-Cas9-based approaches require complex engineering without providing signal amplification required for sensitive detection. In this project, we will utilize the power of microfluidics and nucleic acid engineering to develop novel tools for specific, sensitive, and multiplex cell imaging. To achieve this, we will (1) develop a high-throughput droplet-microfluidic platform to (2) enable, in a completely innovative way, highly combinatorial engineering of a repertoire of CRISPR-dCas9 tools that (3) will be delivered into fixed cells for proof-of-concept multiplex cell imaging. This novel CRISPR-dCas9 toolbox will be combined with transcriptome analysis, which together is crucial for answering a multitude of biomedical research questions in embryogenesis, aging, and disease.

Date:12 Aug 2020 →  Today
Keywords:Diagnostics, CRISPR
Disciplines:Molecular diagnostics, General diagnostics
Project type:PhD project