Automated High-Throughput Screening Platform for Radioprotective Microbial Melanins
ABSTRACT Ionizing radiation poses significant challenges for space exploration, nuclear facilities, medical applications, and industrial safety. Current radiation shielding materials are often synthetic, heavy, and environmentally problematic. Microbial melanins — natural biopolymers produced by bacteria, yeast, and other microorganisms — have demonstrated remarkable capacity to absorb various forms of radiation including UV, gamma, and X-rays. However, discovering and optimizing microbial strains that produce radioprotective melanins remains a slow, manual process. This project proposes the design of an automated high-throughput screening platform using Opentrons liquid handling robotics to systematically test diverse microorganisms for melanin production and radiation absorption capabilities. The workflow includes automated inoculation, controlled radiation exposure, spectrophotometric quantification, and functional radioprotection assays. The platform is designed for remote execution via cloud laboratories, enabling scalability and accessibility even without local wet-lab infrastructure. The expected outcomes include a validated automated protocol, identification of high-performance melanin-producing strains, and characterized melanin samples with demonstrated radioprotective properties for biotechnological applications.