Electrically Controlled Fluidic Networks for Programmable DNA Assembly and Synthetic Biology

This internship will generate preliminary experimental and theoretical results toward the realization of electrically controlled fluidic networks capable of orchestrating complex biochemical workflows without mechanical pumps or valves. The central scientific question is whether electrically actuated microfluidic architectures can autonomously transport, purify, concentrate, and ligate DNA fragments, enabling synthetic biology workflows on chip. The project contributes to imec's long-term vision of creating configurable fluidic circuits for automated biomolecular processing and next-generation lab-on-chip systems.

Research tasks

• Design and fabricate electrically actuated microfluidic structures for controllable transport of DNA.
• Implement the upconcentration of DNA in predefined regions of the device.
• Develop and characterize network modules that couple reaction chambers with downstream purification and transfer stages.
• Experimentally study the transport and separation of DNA fragments of different sizes within electrically controlled channel networks.