New technique for engineering living materials and patterns

Date:
June 5, 2020
Source:
University of Warwick
Summary:
A new method for engineering living materials called 'MeniFluidics'
could see a transformation in tissue engineering and bio-art,
as well as new ways to research cellular interactions.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
A new method for engineering living materials called 'MeniFluidics', made
by researchers at the University of Warwick could see a transformation in tissue engineering and bio-art, as well as new ways to research cellular interactions.A bacterial biofilm patterned using MeniFluidics.


========================================================================== Living cells have many properties that non-living materials simply
don't. The ability of controlling the emergent behaviours of cells and organising them into arbitrary patterns is a key step forward towards
utilizing living materials, for uses such as organs on a chip. This is
why new technologies are being developed to obtain such an ability.

Physicists and biologists at the University of Warwick have teamed up
to develop a new method for controlling cellular patterns, published
in the journal ACS Synthetic Biology, titled 'Pattern engineering of
living bacterial colonies using meniscus-driven fluidic channels',
their new technique is called MeniFluidics.

Grounded on the physics of meniscus generation, the researchers
implemented structures into gel surfaces. Evaporation of water from
gel materials lead to formation of open channels which can be used for
guiding the direction and speed of cellular expansion.

Dr Vasily Kantsler, from Department of Physics at the University of
Warwick comments; "I believe that our catchy named (Menifluidics)
technique will enable new opportunities in biophysical and biomedical
research and applications such as antibiotic resistance and biofouling"
Dr Munehiro Asally, from School of Life Science at the University of
Warwick adds; "We hope MeniFluidics will be used widely by biophysics, microbiologists, engineers and also artists! As it is a simple and
versatile method."

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Warwick. Note: Content
may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Vasily Kantsler, Elena Ontan~o'n-McDonald, Cansu Kuey, Manjari J.

Ghanshyam, Maria Chiara Roffin, Munehiro Asally. Pattern
Engineering of Living Bacterial Colonies Using Meniscus-Driven
Fluidic Channels. ACS Synthetic Biology, 2020; DOI:
10.1021/acssynbio.0c00146 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/06/200605132435.htm

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