Dielectrophoretic capture of biomolecules

However, the design of sophisticated devices for the dielectrophoretic (DEP)-based manipulation of biomolecules is hampered by the lack of fundamental understanding of different biomolecules’ polarizability in aqueous medium. In this thesis, the student will work with state-of-the-art nanoelectrode devices, fabricated in the imec FAB, to study the capture of biological molecules based on their polarizability, the buffer conductivity, and the molecular size. Complementary, the student will also perform numerical simulations to guide and understand the experiments. We will apply the insights to propose strategies for performing DEP-based biomolecular separation in clinically relevant samples.

This thesis will consist of 10% literature study, 20% modelling, 50% experiments, and 20% reporting/writing.