MMED · Development of a Microfluidic Microbial Ecology Device and Mathematical Model to Study Antibiotic Response of Individual Cells

Development of a Microfluidic Microbial Ecology Device and Mathematical Model to Study Antibiotic Response of Individual Cells

Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to global health today. Despite the available prevention and control strategies and efforts to develop new antibiotics, still effective strategies to control the most dangerous forms of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is needed. To discover effective strategies, a quantitative and deeper understanding of microbial behavior in their natural ecologies is crucial. The specific aim of this investigation is to develop a theoretical and experimental framework that mimics the natural microecology of bacteria and measuring their antibiotic responses to predict optimum survival strategies. Effect of antibiotic stress on bacterial individuals will be quantitatively investigated in the microfluidic microbial ecology device (MMED) that mimics various microecologies at the same time, while allowing antibiotic exposure. The mathematical microbial ecology model (MMEM) predicts the antibiotic responses of bacteria and bacterial survival strategies. This system will allow quantification of individuals’ optimum survival strategy under the influence of both microenvironmental changes and antibiotic exposure. Traditionally, influence of antibiotics and stable microenvironments on growth and behavior of individual bacteria have been independently studied. However, there are quantitative and qualitative differences between exposing cells in stable or dynamic environments and in combination with antibiotic stress. Understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms those bacteria use to adapt to different stresses will bring transferable benefits for health, ecology, and science. Overall objectives of this project are combining quantitative experimental measurements and theoretical studies using MMED to contribute to the discovery of new information regarding the antibiotic response of bacteria in artificial microhabitats. By developing ex vivo infection models or infection-on-a-chip platforms and infection-on-a-script models, MMED will provide a new foundation to understand the individuality of bacteria, working mechanisms of antibiotics, and facilitate the development of new antibiotics and culture of rare cells. Hence, the project findings can be transferred to cutting-edge tools to study microbiology and microecology, biofilm-free implants and medical kits, new antibiotics, and educational toolbox and simulators to study course of infection and antibiotic administration for medical research.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union