Advanced cryo-optofluidic platform for correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM)

Project focuses on development of new microfluidic platform and related methodology that will enable carrying out correlative analysis of biological sample in dynamic environment of microfluidic chip using light microscopy, Raman spectroscopy (RS) and electron microscopy (EM). The chip will allow effective cryogenic fixation using high-pressure freezing (HPF) required to preserve biological structures at actual state. RS allows to study chemical changes in biological sample exposed to variety of external stressors (temperature, pressure, electromagnetic radiation, chemicals, etc.) in microfluidic chip environment. Subsequently, selected cells or other traced particles will be trapped with optical tweezers in the collection parts of the microchip and fixed using HPF. Additional challenge of the project is to develop methodology for subsequent sample preparation for purpose of morphological analysis using cryo-scanning EM and transmission EM. This new, completely unique assembly, and related work-flow, will be tested on microorganisms with biotechnological or clinical significance.