Research studies in molecular- and cell biology, medicine and process sensor technology (sensor systems to monitor various processes in industry and science) often require advances in the nano-engineering technologies. These advances are necessary to look for molecular processes with highest possible resolution in order to enlighten the “black-box” which still shades most of metabolic processes of biological systems. Advances in nano-engineering and control on the nano level allow novel studies in molecular and cellular biology. This combination leads to the design and construction of new measurement setups, which do not only allow cutting-edge biological experiments, but also propel nanorobotics, nanotools and control.
The aim of our work, starting from current medical problems, is to propose novel studies especially in molecular and cellular microbiology and virology with direct applications in medicine and industry, closing the bottom-up cycle. The systems developed in AMiR will allow for nanometer resolution studies of single cell phenomena up to complete cell compounds to deepen our appreciation of the processes at the nanoscale. An example of single cell phenomena is the studying of local mechanical and electrical properties of single bacteria for characterization and evaluation of the resistance to antibiotics or to the spread of infections. Studying mechanical properties of bacterial biofilms to reveal ways to carefully remove biofilms with mechanical treatments is an example for whole cell compounds. With such nanorobotic systems, it will also be possible to manipulate cell compounds, cells and cell components (e.g. design of nanoelectric circuits of DNA and CNTs) to allow for new experiments in bio nanotechnology and nanotechnology.