Would you like to unlock unique biological applications for your AFM? Are you interested in single-cell experiments?
Then FluidFM might be the right technology to help you with your research.
Fluidic force microscopy – making scientific impact
Fluidic Force Microscopy (FluidFM) technology is a unique combination of microfluidics and atomic force microscopy. Each patented hollow FluidFM probe (i.e. cantilever) type unlocks a wealth of new applications for AFM users. Since its invention in 2009, FluidFM has gained the reputation of enabling unprecedented single cell biology and biophysical experiments.
The scientific appeal of FluidFM is underlined by already more than 60 publications with an impressive average impact factor above 8. Thanks to a rapidly growing user base with systems being placed at the moment in more than 70 laboratories around the globe, we expect even more breakthroughs by the FluidFM community soon. An important reason for this rapid user growth has been our selected partnerships with the three major BioAFM manufacturers, Bruker, JPK and Nanosurf.
Now what exactly does FluidFM offer to an AFM user?
FluidFM – go beyond imaging
For BioAFM users, FluidFM unlocks many exciting applications beyond imaging; ranging from single cell gene editing, to much faster mechanical measurements such as single cell force spectroscopy (SCFS), through to direct printing of sub-micron feature patterns.
While it is not uncommon that new FluidFM users develop their unique application, popular FluidFM applications include:
Recent FluidFM highlights
FluidFM allows creative and unique AFM research, which results often in high impact publications; here is a selection of three publication highlights just from the past few months:
The discovery of a new adhesion mechanism for the notorious Candida Albicans pathogen.
J. Dehullu, C. Valotteau, et al. Fluidic Force Microscopy Demonstrates that Homophilic Adhesion by Candida albicans Als Proteins is Mediated by Amyloid Bonds between Cells. (2019) Nano Letters.
A break-through method to detect single extra- or intra-cellular ions with a modified FluidFM setup.
M. Aramesh, C. Forró, et al. Localized detection of ions and biomolecules with a force-controlled scanning nanopore microscope. (2019) Nature Nanotechnology.
A systematic single-cell mechanical study of the leaf microbiota.
M. Mittelviehfhaus, D.B. Müller, et al. A modular atomic force microscopy approach reveals a large range of hydrophobic adhesion forces among bacterial members of the leaf microbiota. (2019) The ISME Journal.
The FluidFM ADD-ON – tailored to your AFM
FluidFM probes - easy to use and tailored to each specific system. The FluidFM chip comes pre-glued to a FluidFM adapter that is tailored to a specific system. The FluidFM adapter features an integrated liquid reservoir and pneumatic connections.
A functional FluidFM probe needs a liquid reservoir, pneumatic connections and micrometer precise mounting. For this reason, we developed the FluidFM ADD-ON solutions in cooperation with the AFM manufacturers. This allowed us to carefully consider the geometrical and physical requirements of both the FluidFM parts as well as the AFM system. This results in a unique FluidFM probe holder design for selected AFMs and tailored FluidFM probes, accompanied by the state-of-the-art FluidFM microfluidics control system.
Compatible systems
FluidFM ADD-ON solutions are already available for the following AFM families:
BioScope Resolve
NanoWizard, CellHesion, ForceRobot
FlexAFM, CoreAFM
How the FluidFM ADD-ON brings even more "Bio" into BioAFMs