Extracellular vesicles (EVs) in blood plasma contain clinically relevant information and can be characterized with flow cytometry. However, EVs in plasma are outnumbered by lipoproteins, thereby hampering EV characterization. Consequently, there is an urgent need for a practical approach to deplete lipoproteins from plasma.
In this project, you will investigate, develop and test
- beads with "stealth surfaces" as a quality control for flow cytometry measurements
- beads with "romantic surfaces" to capture lipoproteins and remove them from plasma.
The work will take place at the Amsterdam Vesicle Center, which is a collaboration between the department of Biomedical Engineering & Physics and the Laboratory of Experimental Clinical Chemistry in the Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam.
In addition, the work will be done in collaboration with the Laboratory of Organic Chemistry at Wageningen University, which you will visit for a secondment of 2 to 3 months. The full project has a duration of 4 years.
The main aim is to investigate, develop and test (1) beads with "stealth surfaces" as a quality control for flow cytometry measurements, and (2) beads with "romantic surfaces" to capture lipoproteins and remove them from plasma.
To synthesize the beads, you will grow antifouling polymer brushes at the surface of coated, amine-terminated beads by adding a specific monomer and catalysts. In addition, you will characterize the beads and the surfaces with chemical spectroscopy techniques, nanoscale imaging techniques and flow cytometry.
There is plenty of room for your own initiative In the project!