Single-cell microfluidics for screening and testing new antibiotics

Zhang, Jing (2021) Single-cell microfluidics for screening and testing new antibiotics. MPhil(R) thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

Antibiotics have saved countless lives in recent human history. However, overuse of antibiotics has given rise to rapid appearance and spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria, which has become a significant threat to the global health. Currently, all existing antibiotics have encountered resistant bacteria, making the discovery of new antibiotics an urgent global challenge. Although promising non-traditional candidates, such as antibacterial vaccines, bacteriophages, antimicrobial peptides, plant extracts, and synbiotics, are emerging in recent years, substantial work is needed to illustrate their effectiveness and mechanisms of action. Methods allowing rapid evaluation of these processes would significantly speed up the discovery of effective antibiotics. In recent years, microfluidic technology has been rapidly applied in antibiotic research, offering enhanced sensitivity and less analysis time.
In this project, we aimed to develop microfluidic platforms for high throughput screening of a new class of antibiotics (e.g. bacteriocin) and evaluating their killing mechanisms. To achieve multiplex and label-free detection, we exploited advances in droplet-microfluidics and Raman spectroscopy to develop Raman activated droplet sorting system. Key modules for the systems have been developed to realize single cell encapsulation in droplets, Raman detection of encapsulated single cells in continuous flow and high efficient sorting of targeted samples. In addition, we also developed a single-cell microfluidic system for real-time monitoring cell growth under stable antibiotic gradient. Both of these two systems will provide promising tools for antibiotic discovery and rapid antibiotic resistance tests.

• Item Type: Thesis (MPhil(R))
• Qualification Level: Masters
• Keywords: microfluidics, Raman activated droplet sorting system, antibiotics discovery.
• Subjects: Q Science > Q Science (General); R Medicine > RM Therapeutics. Pharmacology; T Technology > TD Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering
• Colleges/Schools: College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Biomedical Engineering
• Supervisor's Name: Yin, Professor Huabing
• Date of Award: 2021
• Embargo Date: 23 March 2024
• Depositing User: JING ZHANG
• Unique ID: glathesis:2021-82078
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 25 Mar 2021 15:58
• Last Modified: 05 Jan 2022 11:22
• Thesis DOI: 10.5525/gla.thesis.82078
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/82078