Validation of On-Chip Bioluminescence Detection for Radiation-Stressed Genetically Engineered E. Coli

The ALCYONE project, funded under the EU Horizon Europe program, aims to develop a lab-on-chip (LoC) platform for biological studies in space environments. This study focuses on validating the system’s biolu-minescence detection capability using genetically engineered Escherichia coli MG1655 cells. The cells, transformed with a luciferase-expressing plasmid, were irradiated with UV-C light for two minutes to induce stress responses, while unirradiated cells served as controls. Bioluminescence emission (520–530 nm) was measured using hydrogenated amorphous sili-con (a-Si:H) photosensors integrated into the LoC platform. The experi-mental results confirm the system’s ability to differentiate between irradi-ated and control samples, demonstrating its potential for real-time, low-power monitoring of biological responses in space environments. Future work will integrate thermal control and fluidic automation to enhance bio-logical experiment autonomy.