Abstract

Living Droplets – Microfluidic Antibody and Vaccine Discovery at Very High Throughput

Christoph Merten, Group Leader and Principal, European Molecular Biology Laboratory

We have developed fully integrated droplet-based microfluidic platforms for the screening of therapeutic antibodies. In these systems tiny aqueous droplets (picoliter volumes) surrounded by oil serve as independent assay vessels. The technology allows the direct screening of >1 million primary, non-immortalized plasma cells for the secretion of antibodies that do not just bind to a drug target, but functionally inhibit it. Recently, we also adapted this approach for the use of human plasma cells and implemented assays for the effect of antibodies on target cells (e.g. modulating GPCRs). Furthermore, the technology can also be used for the screening of vaccine candidates at very high throughput.