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Dosimetry and exposure assessment
Live cell imaging during EMF exposure
Background
The most common approach used in studying the response of cells exposed to electromagnetic fields (EMF) is to simultaneously expose a statistically sufficient number of cells, while maintaining an equal number of cells in the same environment but without exposure. After exposure, specific cell parameters are analysed and compared between these two groups. However, with this post-analysis approach, any possible transient response of the cells during actual exposure is lost.
Aim
This project proposes the development of instrumentation to enable direct insight into cell responses to EMF while additionally allowing a variety of micromanipulations. The system will feature an extremely low frequency (ELF) exposure system with an integrated microscope, providing live cell imaging before, during and after exposure, while employing state-of-the-art microscopic techniques, such as confocal scanning and fluorescence microscopy. The system will include two chambers embedded within a commercial microscopy incubator to ensure suitable atmospheric conditions for cell cultivation. One chamber will enable E-field (capacitor system) and the other H-field (coil system) exposure. The maximum induced fields should be as high as reasonably achievable, without hindering the biological procedures or interfering with the microscope.
Significance
It is expected that this novel system will constitute a highly effective tool for the study of possible non-thermal interaction mechanisms. Primo Schär's Molecular Genetics group at the Centre of Biomedicine at the University of Basel ((link zu 3. Ebene/Schär)) will apply the instrumentation within the framework of NRP 57; however, the setup might also be of interest to the worldwide research community.
Duration: 24 months
Grant: CHF 196’786.--
Albert Romann
IT'IS Foundation for Research on Information Technologies in Society
Zeughausstrasse 43
CH-8004 Zurich
romann@itis.ethz.ch
Further applicants:
Dr. Andreas Christ, IT'IS Foundation for Research on Information Technologies in Society, Zürich
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