Enzyme immobilization in microfluidic devices is developed for automated assays of metabolites and biological activities.
The Institute of Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering is the main Austrian university institution for basic and applied research at the interface of biological sciences and process engineering. The aim is to achieve innovative solutions for efficient and accelerated process development in biotechnology using an integrated scientific-technological approach that combines modern methods of molecular and process bioengineering. The research activities are focused on three main fields: applied enzymology and enzyme technology; enzyme immobilization on microfluidic devices, metabolic and reaction engineering for biocatalysis and renewable resource utilization; and glycobiotechnology.
Flow microreactors are emergent engineering tools for the development of miniaturized analytics and continuous-flow transformations. Immobilizing enzymes on microfluidic devices is a promising approach for enzyme reusability and improved properties of enzymes including biocatalytic activity and enzyme stability. Protein immobilization is considered differently upon solid materials and internal structural designs of the devices, the desired target protein, and the specialized purpose of the microfluidic devices/chips. In the project, enzyme immobilization and characterization are studied to integrate biological and catalytic components into microfluidic devices/chips. Immobilization of enzyme is performed with various solid materials (e.g. glass, polymers) and chemical functional groups. Biological, chemical, and physical characterizations of the immobilized enzymes are examined. This would incorporate with the manufacturing developments of microfluidic devices/chips.