Noncontact Manipulation of Microdroplets Containing Motile Microorganism

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K20983
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 20:Mechanical dynamics, robotics, and related fields
• Research Institution: Kyushu Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Kawahara Tomohiro 九州工業大学, 大学院生命体工学研究科, 准教授 (20575162)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-07-30 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 運動性微生物 / 非接触マニピュレーション / インクジェット / マイクロ液滴

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Investigation of the stimulus responses of motile microorganisms is valuable to understand their functions. Conventionally, it is quite difficult to examine their behavior under a high-magnified view due to the motility of microorganisms. We have proposed new approach for investigating the stimulus response of swimming-microorganisms in a microdroplet. By using an inkjet mechanism, the size of the microdroplet with microorganisms is precisely controlled without drying out of the liquid. As a result, we have succeeded in maintain the motile cell inside the microdroplet for a long time and in applying the stimulation to the single cell using the microtools under the highly magnified view. In addition, we found that if we change the ejection point of the inkjet mechanism, the position of the microdroplet could be changed. In this project, we have investigated how to manipulate single microdroplet using the high-speed ejection control by using the developed experimental system.

Free Research Field

バイオメディカルロボティクス

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究プロジェクトによって，マイクロ液滴を基板（平面）上で非接触操作するための基本的な知見が獲得できた．また，得られた結果より効果的に液滴を移動させるための方法を見出すことに成功した．特に，メカトロニクス技術の積極的な導入により，操作を自動化するための要素技術を構築できたため，個々の微生物を精密に搬送・操作するだけでなく，複数の液滴を操作したり結合するような応用も可能になる．今後は．このような方法をさらに発展させることで，マイクロ液滴の力学操作を行うための学理構築に加え，バイオエネルギー分野等における微生物機能解明のための全く新しい実験手法創出に取り組む．