Internships Cytoskeletal self-organization in 3D cell-sized confinement

In this project you will study biopolymer networks in micron-sized emulsion droplets which you will produce with self-made microfluidic devices.

Research / Job description
Living cells are the basic units of life. The interior of a cell is pervaded by a biopolymer network of the protein actin, which provides a cell with mechanical stability and shape. A lipid membrane confines this “actin cytoskeleton” to the small micron-scale environment of the cell. It is known that spatial confinement affects network structure and concomitantly cell mechanical properties. However, physical principles of cytoskeletal self-organization are just beginning to be unravelled. Confinement effects have been studied in quasi-2D chambers, where a transition of actin filaments to bundles has been observed. We are now interested in self-organization of actin filaments in a 3D cell-sized confinement. We polymerize actin in water-in-oil emulsion droplets stabilized by a lipid monolayer which mimics the cell membrane. We aim at studying actin structural properties and in particular its dependence on the interaction between the network and the lipid monolayer. This interaction is tuneable by using different kinds of lipid.

In this project, you will learn how to create emulsion droplets using a microfluidic device developed at the AMOLF institute, and how to fabricate microfluidic chips in AMOLF’s NanoCenter using photolithography. Furthermore, you will learn fluorescent microscopy and confocal microscopy techniques to observe and quantitatively interpret actin structures.

This internship will take place in a particularly interdisciplinary and international environment which offers the unique possibility of working on the interface between physics and biology.

About the group Biological Soft Matter

Required qualifications
You participate in a Bachelor or a Master study in physics, chemistry or biology. You have a nationality of an EU-member state or if not, you are a student at a Netherlands University. You must be available for at least 3 months (Bachelor project) / 6 months (Master project).

Terms of traineeship
In the beginning of your placement, along with your supervisor at AMOLF, you will make a step-by-step plan in which working conditions and supervision will be agreed on. If the training period is to last longer than two months, an agreement will also be established in which things like compensation will be fixed.

For furtherinformation please contact:
Prof.dr. Gijsje Koenderink
Group leader Biological Soft Matter
E-mail: gkoenderinkATamolf.nl
Phone: +31 (0)20-754 7100

Applications can be sent to:
FOM Institute AMOLF
P&O dept.
Postbus 41883
1009 DB  Amsterdam
The Netherlands
E-mail: trainee.applicantATamolf.nl
Please quote vacancy # 12012.37

Please annex your:
-  Resume;
-  List of courses followed so far, and grades obtained.

Figure: Sketch of the microfluidic fabrication of emulsion droplets containing actin bundles (device built by Dr. Sophie Roth).