Leiden, South Holland, Netherlands
Within this project we investigated by means of controlled surface modification how we could improve the performance of a new biosensor (Focal Molography).
This PhD project was conducted at the Laboratory of Organic Chemistry (prof. dr. Han Zuilhof) and the Cell Biology and Immunology Group (prof. dr. Huub Savelkoul) at Wageningen University. The non-specific adsorption of biomolecules to solid surfaces is a concern in many applications including that of biosensing/diagnostics. Within this project we designed and developed new antifouling coatings and applied them to existing biosensor surfaces and technologies to improve their signal-to-noise ratios. Main techniques used: surface modification (gold, SiN, polymeric beads), polymer brush growth using ATRP, surface characterization (XPS, IR, XRR), installing functional groups and immobilize recognition elements like antibodies via click chemistry, evaluate specific/non-specific adsorption (SPR, reflectometry, flow cytometry, IP-MS/MS) and monitoring interactions between antifouling beads and immune-cells. Supervisors: dr. Maarten Smulders and dr. Edwin Tijhaar.
Internship titel: "The role of the invariant chain in the regulation of NKG2D ligand ULBP2", conducted at the Immunology Research Group (ass. Prof. Soren Skov). Main activities: cell culture, flow cytometry, western blot, immunoprecipitations, small intefering RNA and confocal microscopy.