PhD Thesis Defence: Ignasi Casanellas
2022-04-13 15:00 - 17:00 (Europe/Madrid) | Molecular and cellular neurobiotechnology
Cell-adhesive nanopatterns for musculoskeletal tissue engineering
Ignasi Casanellas, Nanobioengineering Group
This thesis defence will take place at “Sala de Graus Eduard Fontseré, Facultat de Física, Universitat de Barcelona” at 3PM. If you wish to follow this defence online, you can contact Ignasi here.
More information here

PhD Thesis Defence: Ignasi Casanellas
2022-04-13 15:00 - 17:00 | Sala de Graus Eduard Fontseré

PhD Thesis Defence: Gerard Rubí Sans
2022-06-10 11:00 - 13:00 | Careers at IBEC
Development of an in vitro three-dimensional colorectal cancer model using cell-derived extracellular matrices
Author: Gerard Rubí Sans
Directors: Dra. Elisabet Engel López and Dr. Miguel Ángel Mateos Timoneda
This thesis defence will take place at “Sala d’Actes de la Facultat de Matemàtiques i Estadística (FME)” at 11AM.
If you wish to follow this defence online, you can do it through Google Meet here.

Biomedical signal interpretation and smartphone sensors for the assessment of trunk function and sleep disorders in patients with spinal cord injury
2022-06-27 10:00 - 14:00 | Sala d’Actes EEBE, Edifici A,, Av. Eduard Maristany 16, 08019 Barcelona
Author: Yolanda Castillo
Group: Biomedical Signal Processing and Interpretation
Directors: Raimon Jané

Abstract:
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. SCI causes motor and sensory impairment below the level of the injury, but it is also associated with many other health complications. Two of these problems are trunk muscle impairment and sleep disorders. Impaired trunk function affects postural control and sitting balance, which are critical for activities of daily living. Disturbed sleep causes fatigue and sleepiness and can lead to serious comorbidities, impacting patient recovery and outcomes. However, due to the multiple health problems secondary to SCI and the limitations in current diagnostic tools, trunk function and sleep are rarely examined after SCI. The non-invasive acquisition and analysis of biomedical signals can help to overcome this issue, providing quantitative measures to assess patient condition. Smartphones can facilitate this task, thanks to their ubiquitous presence and powerful sensors.

The aim of this PhD thesis is to propose new smartphone-based tools and biomedical signal analysis techniques for the quantitative assessment of trunk function and sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in patients with SCI. This thesis is divided into two parts, including four publications in high-impact journals. The first part addresses the characterization of trunk function in healthy subjects and patients with cervical (cSCI) and thoracic SCI (tSCI). The second part focuses on the development of a mobile health (mHealth) system based on smartphone audio signals for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) diagnosis, and the detection and monitoring of SDB in SCI patients.

The first part of the thesis introduces a novel methodology to quantitatively evaluate trunk function by combining electromyography (EMG) and smartphone accelerometry. In the first study, we characterized the muscle activity and movement patterns of trunk flexion during reaching in healthy humans and investigated if trunk stability was affected by a startling acoustic stimulus (SAS). We found that SAS markedly reduced the response time (RespT) and EMG onset latencies of all muscles (the so-called StartReact effect), either prime movers or stabilizers. In the second study, we evaluated trunk function and the effects of a SAS in patients with cSCI and tSCI. The results revealed deficits in postural control and compensatory strategies employed by SCI patients, such as delayed responses and high lateral deviations, with potential consequences for rehabilitation. This was the first study investigating the StartReact responses in trunk muscles in SCI. The SAS significantly shortened the RespT in tSCI, but not in cSCI, which suggests an increased cortical control in cSCI.

In the second part of the thesis, we present mHealth tools for monitoring sleep disorders and investigate the sleep patterns of SCI patients. In the first article of this part, we designed a smartphone system and novel algorithms based on acoustic analysis for OSA screening. This approach demonstrated good agreement with a commercial system for home OSA diagnosis, correctly detecting and stratifying all the OSA patients. In the last article, sleep studies were performed in SCI patients using the smartphone, showing a very high prevalence of moderate-to-severe SDB in SCI patients. This study highlighted the problem of SDB in SCI and provided simple cost-effective tools to improve the detection and management of SDB in SCI patients.

Overall, this thesis supports the use of smartphones and biomedical signal analysis for the assessment of trunk function and SDB in SCI patients. These novel approaches provide quantitative and objective measures for the evaluation and follow-up of patients in a simple and non-invasive way. We also give insights into the underlying mechanisms of postural control, respiratory function during sleep, and the changes occurring after SCI. Consequently, our results open the way for improving the management of health complications associated with SCI or other disabling conditions.

This thesis defence will take place at: Sala d’Actes de l’Escola d’Enginyeria Barcelona Est (EEBE), Edifici A, planta 0, Campus Diagonal-Besòs de la UPC, Av. d’Eduard Maristany, 16, 08019 Barcelona.
If you wish to follow this defence online, you can do it through this link: meet.google.com/roe-omfr-sse

PhD Thesis Defence: Maximilian Loeck
2022-09-16 12:00 - 14:00 | Carrer de Casanova, 143, Campus Clínic, Barcelona, 08036
Comparative study of nanocarries targeted to different transport pathways into and across the endothelium for brain delivery of therapeutic enzymes

Author: Maximilian Loeck, Targeted therapeutics and nanodevices

This thesis defence will take place at “Aula 14 (Dolors Aleu i Riera), Campus Clínic” at 12:30h.
Address: Facultad de Medicina, Carrer de Casanova, 143, 08036 Barcelona

PhD Thesis Defence: Enrico Almici
2022-10-10 10:00 | Sala de Graus Eduard Fontseré, Martí i Franquès, 1-11, Barcelona, 08028
Investigating pathological extracellular matrix architecture
Author: ENRICO ALMICI, Nanobioengineering
This thesis defence will take place at “Sala de Graus Eduard Fontseré. Facultat de Física” at 10:00h.

President: Dr. Sergio Cerutt
Secretària: Dra. Elena Martinez Fraiz
Vocal: Dr. Eugenio Martinelli

Suplents:
Dra. Noemi Reguart Aransay
Dra. Valeria Chiono

Directors:
Dr. JOAN MONTERO BORONAT
Dr. JOSEP SAMITIER MARTI
Dr. JORDI ALCARAZ CASADEMUNT

Tutor: Dr. JOSEP SAMITIER MARTI

PhD Thesis Defence: Adrián López Canosa
2022-12-12 11:00 - 13:00 | Eduard Fontseré – Facultat de Física de la UB
Microphysiological Systems for the Evaluation of Biomaterials in Regenerative Therapies

Author: Adrián López Canosa, Biomaterials for Regenerative Therapies

This thesis defence will take place at “Sala de Graus Eduard Fontseré” at 11:00h.

Information

PhD Thesis Defence: Ignasi Granero Moya
2023-01-12 15:00 - 17:00
STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF MECHANICAL FORCE ON NUCLEO-CYTOPLASMIC TRANSPORT

Author: Ignasi Granero Moya, Cellular and molecular mechanobiology

This thesis defence will take place at “Facultat de Medicina de la UB (Hospital Clínc)” at 15:00. Room to be determined.

PhD Thesis Defence: Xavier Arqué
2023-01-24 11:00 - 13:00 | Aula Magna, Faculty of Pharmacy, Av. Joan XXIII s/n, Barcelona, Spain
Unraveling the Fundamental Aspects of Enzyme-powered Micromotors

Author: Xavier Arqué, Smart Nano-Bio-Devices Lab

This thesis defence will take place at “Aula Magna” Building A, Faculty of Pharmacy,
University of Barcelona (Campus Diagonal, Av. de Joan XXIII, 27-31, 08028 Barcelona) at 11:00

PhD Thesis Defence: Madhura Murar
2023-02-17 15:00 - 17:00 | Aula Magna, Faculty of Physics, UB
Peptide functionalized polymeric nanocarriers: Towards selective targeting of prostate cancer

Author: Madhura Vijay Murar, nanoscopy for nanomedicine

This thesis defence will take place at “Aula Magna” Faculty of Physics,

University of Barcelona (Carrer de Martí i Franquès, 1, 11, 08028 Barcelona) at 15:00

You can join online to see the defense in the following link.

PhD Thesis Defence: Nimesh Ramesh Chahare
2023-06-20 15:00 - 17:00 | acultat de Matemàtiques i Estadística-Sala d’Actes FME, Edifici U, Campus Sud
Mechanics of Epithelial tissue subjected to controlled pressure

Author: Nimesh Ramesh Chahare, Integrative Cell and Tissue Dynamics group

Biography:
Nimesh Ramesh Chahare earned his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Nagpur in 2014. He further pursued a master’s degree at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, completing it in 2016. In 2017, he began his doctoral work in Barcelona, under the guidance of Prof. Marino Arroyo at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, and Prof. Xavier Trepat at the Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia. Currently, he is a PhD candidate in applied mathematics, specializing in the study of the mechanics of epithelial tissue under controlled pressure.
Abstract:
Epithelial sheets form specialized 3D structures suited to their physiological roles, such as branched alveoli in the lungs, tubes in the kidney, and villi in the intestine. To generate and maintain these structures, epithelia must undergo complex 3D deformations across length and time scales. How epithelial shape arises from active stresses, viscoelasticity, and luminal pressure remains poorly understood. To address this question, we developed a microfluidic chip and a computational framework to engineer 3D epithelial tissues with controlled shape and pressure. In the setup, an epithelial monolayer is grown on a porous surface with circular low adhesion zones. On applying hydrostatic pressure, the monolayer delaminates into a spherical cap from the circular zone. This simple shape allows us to calculate epithelial tension using Laplace’s law. Through this approach, we subject the monolayer to a range of lumen pressures at different rates and hence probe the relation between strain and tension in different regimes while computationally tracking actin dynamics and their mechanical effect at the tissue scale. Slow pressure changes relative to the actin dynamics allow the tissue to accommodate large strain variations. However, under sudden pressure reductions, the tissue develops buckling patterns and folds with different degrees of symmetry-breaking to store excess tissue area. These insights allow us to pattern epithelial folds through rationally directed buckling. Our study establishes a new approach for engineering epithelial morphogenetic events.

Reading date: 20/06/2023
Reading time: 15:00
Reading place: Facultat de Matemàtiques i Estadística-Sala d’Actes FME, Edifici U, Campus Sud
Thesis director: ARROYO BALAGUER, MARINO and TREPAT GUIXER, XAVIER
Committee:
PRESIDENT: TRIVEDI, VIKAS
SECRETARI: MUÑOZ ROMERO, JOSE JAVIER
VOCAL: SUZANNE, MAGALI

PhD Thesis Defence: Manuel López Ortiz
2023-07-14 10:00 - 15:00
Single molecule electrochemical studies of photosynthetic complexes

Author: Manuel López Ortiz, Nanoprobes and Nanoswitches group

Reading date: 14/07/2023
Reading time: 10:00
Reading place: Aula de graus Dufort de la facultat de biologia

PhD Thesis Defense: Gerardo Ceada
2023-07-14 12:00 - 14:00
Mechanics of crypt folding, tissue compartmentalization and collective cell migration in intestinal organoids

Author: Gerardo Ceada, Integrative cell and Tissue Dynamics group

Reading date: 14/07/2023
Reading time: 12:00

Reading place: Aula Magna de la Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad de Barcelona (Campus Clínic)

PhD Thesis Defense: Sefora Conti
2023-07-18 15:00 - 17:00
Mechanical phenotyping of cancer stemness in colorectal cancer.

Author: Sefora Conti, Integrative cell and Tissue Dynamics group

Reading date: 18/07/2023
Reading time: 15:00

Abstract: Colorectal cancer tumors are composed of heterogeneous and plastic cell populations, including a pool of cancer stem cells that express LGR5. Whether these distinct cell populations display different mechanical properties, and how these properties might contribute to metastasis is unknown. Using CRC patient derived organoids (PDOs), we found that compared to LGR5- cells, LGR5+ cancer stem cells are stiffer, adhere better to the extracellular matrix (ECM), move slower both as single cells and clusters, display higher nuclear YAP, show a higher survival rate in response to mechanical confinement, and form larger transendothelial gaps. These differences are largely explained by the downregulation of the membrane to cortex attachment proteins Ezrin/Radixin/Moesin (ERMs) in the LGR5+ cells. By analyzing scRNA-seq expression patterns from a patient cohort, we show that this downregulation is a robust signature of colorectal tumors. Our results show that LGR5- cells display a mechanically dynamic phenotype suitable for dissemination from the primary tumor whereas LGR5+ cells display a mechanically stable and resilient phenotype suitable for extravasation and metastatic growth.

Reading place: Aula Marga, Hospital Clinic

More information here.

PhD Thesis Defense: Karen Wells Cembrano
2023-10-27 11:00 - 17:00
Development of 3D in vitro platforms for the study of muscle function and axonal growth and regeneration

Author: Karen Wells Cembrano, Molecular and cellular neurobiotechnology group

Reading date: 27/10/2023
Reading time: 11:00

Reading place: Aula de Graus, Biology Faculty, UB

Teams Link here.

PhD Thesis Defense: Maria Gallo
2023-11-08 10:00 - 17:00 | Aula Marga, Hospital Clinic
Human Pluripotent stem cells: towards the definition of the new engineering approaches to target heart and kidney disease

Author: Maria Gallo, Pluripotency for organ regeneration group

Reading date: 8/11/2023
Reading time: 10:00

Reading place: Aula Magna of Hospital Clinic

PhD Thesis Defense: Marina Martínez Hernández
2023-12-20 16:30 - 18:30
Promoting cardiac regeneration by biomimetic microenvironments

Author: Marina Martínez Hernández, Biomaterials for Regenerative Therapies

Reading date: 20/12/2023
Reading time: 16:30

Reading place: School of Mathematics and Statistics of UPC (Sala d’actes, carrer Pau Gargallo)

PhD Thesis Defense: Alis Olea
2024-01-15 10:00 - 13:30 | Eduard Fontseré – Facultat de Física de la UB
Dynamics of nanoparticles in 3D tumor models

Author: Alis Olea, Nanoscopy for nanomedicine group

Reading date: 15/01/2024
Reading time: 10:00

Reading place: Sala Eduard Fontserè
If you want to join online, you can connect via Teams here.

PhD Thesis Defense: Marco Vigo
2024-09-26 10:00 - 13:00 | Facultat de Medicina de la Universitat de Barcelona – Aula 4.1
Investigating therapeutic targeting to intercellular adhesion molecule 1 through epitope, isoform, and cross-reactivity selection

Author: Marco Vigo, Targeted Therapeutics and Nanodevices and Nanobioengineering group

Reading date: 26/09/2024
Reading time: 10:00

Reading place: Facultat de Medicina de la Universitat de Barcelona – Aula 4.1
If you want to join online, you can connect via Teams here.

PhD Thesis Defence: Betsy Verónica Arévalo Jaimes
2024-12-13 10:00 - 14:00
Biofilms microbianos: virulencia e interacciones hongo-bacteria
Betsy Verónica Arévalo Jaimes, Bacterial infections and Antimicrobial Therapies group
This thesis defence will take place at the Aula de Grados de la Facultad de Biología de la Universidad de Barcelona.
Friday 13th December at 10:00h

PhD Thesis Defence: Albert Parra Martínez
2025-01-13 11:00 - 15:00
Integrating AI with Multiphoton Autofluorescence-Based Hyperspectral Imaging for Enhanced Embryo and Oocyte Analysis
Albert Parra Martínez, Bioengineering in Reproductive Health Group
This thesis defence will take place at the Centro universitario de la visión (CUV). Passeig del Vint-i-dos de Juliol, 660, 08222 Terrassa, Barcelona. Auditori Joan Salvado.
Monday 13th January at 11:00h
