Investigating cell sorting and analysis of the proprietary cell-BOCS platform.

This project comprises investigation of cell sorting, of both artificial beads and biological cells, and analysis of the proprietary cell-BOCS - Bio Optofluidic Cell Sorter, a table top cell sorter using optical manipulation. The analysis is more specific on broadening the ways of detection of cells and upgrading the optical manipulation system. Detection is done by bright-field imaging but there is a specific need to expand the detection criteria to other fields, for example fluorescence. Positively identified particles are sorted out by means of “optical catapulting” with a spatially modulated laser beam. The anticipated project output is a cheap, compact and easy-to-operate cell sorter that is able to detect and manipulate fluorescent microspheres, fluorescent labelled yeast cells and potentially erythrocytes in a microfluidic stream.