Some of the key technologies and techniques used in the project.
The Tegenfeldt group has been developing variants of DLD capable of sorting particles by many new physical parameters. DLD separates particles by sending them on trajectories that depend on their physical properties. In the beginning, arrays of obstacles were designed to do this based on size, but as the method developed innovations, many coming from the Tegenfeldt lab, allowed for the separation of particles based on shape, mechanical properties, dielectric properties, surface charge and density.
Microfluidics devices are fabricated by casting silicone rubber (PDMS) onto moulds.
Moulds are fabricated using optical lithography techniques. All necessary tools are available at Nano Lund Labs.
The Nordenfelt group have developed a software solution for smart, data-driven microscopy, which makes it possible to capture large amounts of high resolution data. In order to take high resolution microscopic images of living biological material, you need to know exactly where to point the microscope. First, a low-resolution, rough scan of the specimen is taken and then algorithms the group developed calculate exactly where the motorised microscope should capture high resolution images.
Imaging cytometry is a powerful commercially available technique that we use to characterize the shape, structure and size of the cells that we process.
Imaging cytometers take images of individual cells as they flow through a microfluidics channel and use image analysis techniques to extract data.
STED (Stimulated Emission Depletion) microscopy is an advanced fluorescence microscopy technique used to achieve super-resolution imaging of biological samples. It involves two laser beams: one to excite fluorescent molecules and another to deplete their excited states, resulting in a narrowed focal spot that allows for higher resolution imaging. By selectively depleting fluorescence from the outer regions of the excitation spot, STED microscopy can surpass the diffraction limit, providing super-resolution imaging of structures at the nanoscale level.
The tegenfeldt lab has a STED microscope from Abberior with FLIM (fluorescence life-time imaging), and polarization capabilities.
