Studying Fungal Chemotaxis and Morphogenesis in Lab-on-a-chip

This position is offered as an Independent Study. To be considered, please apply well in advance— before the drop/add deadline

Fungi are critical to global carbon and nutrient cycling, soil carbon sequestration, agricultural soil health, contaminant degradation, biofouling of engineered materials, and human health. Despite their broad ecological and industrial significance, our understanding of fungal chemotaxis and morphogenesis in response to local chemical and physical cues remains limited.

This study aims to characterize the three-dimensional morphology and growth dynamics of fungal mycelia in response to chemical gradients using a controlled microfluidic chip platform. Fungal spore germination and hyphal extension will be monitored via confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). The student will analyze (and optionally acquire) time-lapse image data (ND2 & VTK format), using MATLAB to quantify hyphal growth rate, directionality, and branching patterns—shedding light on fungal gradient sensing and adaptive growth behavior in porous environments.

The findings will advance our understanding of fungal-environment interactions, with implications for soil biogeochemistry, bioremediation, antifouling strategies in engineered systems, and fungal pathogenesis.