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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 14: Poster Session II

BP 14.5: Poster

Dienstag, 10. März 2026, 18:00–21:00, P2

A microfluidic device for probing microbial adhesion phenotypes in light and flow gradients — •Florian Böhme and Oliver Bäumchen — University of Bayreuth, Experimental Physics V, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany

The unicellular photosynthetic microbe Chlamydomonas reinhardtii has naturally evolved the ability to unspecifically adhere to surfaces under sufficient illumination with blue light [1]. Their natural habitats are porous, liquid-infused soil and temporary pools. Thus, the cells regularly experience spatiotemporal light variations as well as external flows. Chlamydomonas employs its two cilia to firmly attach to surfaces, a mechanism which is hypothesized to sustain a stable photosynthetic yield while providing protection from external flows at low energetic costs.
We mimic such complex natural habitats by creating artificial microscale flow systems with tailored light and fluid flow conditions. Our microfluidic devices entail sections featuring continuous light-intensity gradients of certain wavelengths. At the same time the cells may experience external flows through precise pressure control in the channels. This allows for quantifying population statistics of microbial adhesion phenotypes in terms of threshold intensities of individual light switches and adhesion strengths during exposure to external flows. Our microfluidic devices can be employed for the high-throughput screening of adhesion phenotypes of wild-type and genetically modified photosynthetic microorganisms.

[1] R. Catalan et al., Soft Matter 19, 306 - 314 (2023).

Keywords: Lab on a chip; Chlamydomonas reinhardtii; Microbial adhesion; Microfluidics