The ThieleLab’s competences are in the field of microfluidics, high-resolution additive manufacturing, polymer and organic synthesis, cell-free biosynthesis and cell culturing platforms. Based on 12 years of experience in microfluidic device design/operation and being founders of the Leibniz Application Laboratory „Additive Manufacturing / 3D- printing“, our focus is on multi-scale polymer processing for life sciences. The ThieleLab translates monomer- and macromer-based hydrogel precursors, surfactants and photopolymer formulations into multifunctional, stimuli-sensitive polymer materials via additive manufacturing and microfluidics with feature sizes from a few micrometers to the millimeter-scale and beyond. Our particular strength lies in the design of physicochemically and mechanically tailored hydrogel particles (microgels). The hydrogel’s polymer network allows for tailoring size, shape, porosity, elasticity and compartmentalization and is thus the ideal platform for recapitulating cellular functions in a cell-free environment, and for mimicking cell scaffolds. On this account, my group makes use of bio-orthogonal synthesis schemes and biocompatible material bases.

Under construction!

Macromer/monomer synthesis:

Photo lithography:

Soft lithography:

Droplet and continuous-flow microfluidics:

Additive manufacturing via µ-stereolithography and bioplotting:

Biolab for molecular biology and cell biology:

Collaborations

Under construction!

• Dr. Martin Dippe (Tailored adapter peptides for enzyme immobilization, Leibniz IPB Halle)
• Prof. Andreas Fery (Mechanosensitive microgels, IPF/TU Dresden)
• Prof. Jochen Guck (PNIPAM microgels as temperature sensors in optical traps, MPI Erlangen)
• Prof. Oliver Otto (Evaluation of microgel mechanics by RT-DC, University Greifswald)
• Dr. Ben Newland (Cryogels made by droplet microfluidics as cell scaffolds, Cardiff University)
• Prof. Tilo Pompe (Sensor assays based in soft PEG microgels, Leipzig University)
• Dr. Bernhard V. K. J. Schmidt (CN-catalyzed polymerization and intercross-linking of hydrogel microparticles, University of Glasgow)
• Dr. Juliane Simmchen (Enzymatically driven Janus-type microgel motors, University of Strathclyde)
• Prof. Joseph B. Tracy (Optically responsive 3D-printed nanocomposite hydrogels, NC State University)
• Prof. Ludger Wessjohann (Multicomponent reactions for polymer microgel design (Leibniz IPB Halle)