In an international consortium with 4 other parties, LUMICKS was granted the prestigious Horizon 2020 Future Emerging Technologies (FET) Open grant for early-stage research on new technology.
The goal is to develop a next generation instrument that allows for “Super-resolution visualisation and manipulation of metaphase chromosomes”. Chromosomes are the complex of DNA and protein in which the genetic information of our cells is stored. The consortium will work over the coming years to develop optical tweezers, combined with 3D super-resolution fluoresce microscopy. This technology was already developed and commercialised by LUMICKS at the level of integrated optical tweezers, 1D super-resolution imaging, and microfluidics, for live capturing of e.g. DNA protein interactions. Taking this to the level of whole chromosome manipulation, measurement, and live imaging in 3D, will be a great technical leap forward.
Co-founding professor Wuite: “Think for example of women who become less fertile with age. If we can observe and measure aging of the chromosomes in egg cells we will be able to know more about this process.”