Nanopore

Our research aims to develop new tools for single-cell analysis and manipulation with single molecule resolution to study the dynamic function of individual cells in heterogeneous populations.

Single Cell Analysis

Single-cell Nanosurgery. We are developin an electrical nanobiopsy platform capable of extracting genetic material and organelles from single cells in culture. We are applying this technology to understand why a brain cancer called GBM is so deadly and what we can do to stop it.  In 2024, we published a paper in Science Advances describing longitudinal transcriptomics of cancer cells . You can also read here the University of Leeds press release on our work.

Figure 1. SEM micrographs of a double-barrel nanopipette for single cell nanosurgery

Single-molecule Nanoinjection.  We are developing a platform that can inject biomolecules one at the time into living cells in culture. We are working with Dr Eric Hewitt and Prof Sheena Radford OBE, FMedSci, FRS to understand the mechanism of neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s disease.

Figure 2. Artistic illustration of SICM micrographs of living cells

Read our Nature Communications paper describing single molecule delivery into living cells.

Nanopore Sensing

Single molecule Biosensing.  We are developing functionalized DNA origami nanostructures to capture disease biomarkers within biological fluids. We can analyse these nanostructures one at the time using nanopore sensors aiming to detect the tiniest amount of disease biomarkers so that a diagnosis can be done as quickly as possible.

You can read more about our work in our Nature Communications paper on the rational design of DNA origami nanostructures and in our Biophysical Journal article describing fingerprinting of supramolecular DNA nanostructures.

Figure 3.  Schematic of the DNA origami-nanopore biosensing approach

Figure 4. AFM micrographs Supramolecular DNA origami nanostructures 

We love collaborating on exciting scientific projects. If you are interested about working with, contact Dr Paolo Actis...we would love to hear from you!!!