Team:KU Leuven/Project/Idea
Applications
A better understanding of the pattern formation process in combination with the appropriate and detailed predictive mathematical models will be advantageous in many different fields, ranging from construction and design, to medicine, to electronics, to even art. Tumor formation and tissue regeneration are a few among the many examples where the medical world could benefit from a deeper knowledge of pattern formation. The generation of patterns in a controlled way will also allow the production of novel biomaterials. After forming a pattern, the cells can be engineered to precipitate or deposit networked biominerals, opening up exciting new avenues for the production of microstructured biocomposites. In the long term, the ability to construct predesigned patterns of bacteria could lead to applications in miniature electrical conductors and/or electrical circuits.
Approach
We are engineering two different types of bacteria to form a desired pattern. We aim to create an impact on the cell behaviour and the motility corresponding to a stimuli generated by bacteria. Our preliminary design focuses on crafting a new construct that makes the cells of the same type to adhere to each other and repel the different type in a controlled manner, thus creating a desired pattern.
We will define the kinetic parameters in the wet lab for generating precise models to represent pattern-forming bacteria. We will use techniques like chromatography, chemiluminescence, fluorescence and biological assays coupled to image analysis to quantify certain gene products.
Different levels of protein production will affect the shape and size of patterns that the bacteria form, therefore we will control promoter induction and experiment runtime to study the resulting effects. Additionally, this will give the modeling team more data to fit their models to different conditions. Synergically, simulations from the cyber lab will aid tuning the experimental conditions that lead to the desirable patterns.
