Development of nanowatt class bio-calorimeter for individual activity analysis

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K06211
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Thermal engineering
• Research Institution: Meiji University
• Principal Investigator: Nakabeppu Osamu 明治大学, 理工学部, 専任教授 (50227873)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: バイオカロリメトリ / MEMS / 代謝熱 / 高感度熱測定 / 単一個体 / 温度制御

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aimed to develop a nano-watt grade bio-calorimeter which measures the metabolic heat of a single individual bio sample. Following three development has been performed, improvement of sensitivity of the heat sensor with the MEMS technology, a noise reduction of the amplifier circuit with four parallel instrumentation amplifiers, and improvement of stability of a four layer thermostatic chambers with a digital PI control technique.
As a result, it was shown that the growth process of yeast and the hatching process of a single egg of brine shrimp can be measured continuously for more than 100 hours, and the heat of metabolism can be measured in the range of 10 nano-watt level to 10 miro-watt level.

Free Research Field

熱工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

従来のバイオカロリメトリでは，計測下限が100nWレベルであり，昆虫個体の代謝熱を測れる程度であり，微生物や細胞の計測には多数個体の平均的な挙動を計測していた。本研究では10ナノワットレベルに計測下限を拡張することができ，微生物個体の代謝熱を計測できるレベルを達成し，例えば，ブラインシュリンプの単一個体の孵化過程を代謝熱変化で捉えることが可能となった。この技術の少し先には，単一卵の受精や卵割など生物の発生過程を代謝熱から調べることが可能となり，また，少数細胞を用いたアレルギーや薬効の試験という生物学や医療への貢献が期待される。