Workshop “Bioaction: The new tissue engineering approaches in bone infections"
2023-10-10 14:30 - 16:30 (Europe/Madrid) | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Workshop held in the framework of the EIC Pathfinder project BIOACTION “Bacteria biofilm as bio-factory for tissue regeneration” (Project Number 101098972).
BIOACTION aims at developing a new methodology in implant technology based on functionalized bio-hydrogels that will convert the negative occurrence of biofilm-associated infections, the primary cause of implant infections and failure, into a positive resource. The main goal of BIOACTION is to transform implant-associated bacteria for the programmable production of specific proteins for in vivo cell recruitment and tissue regeneration, exploiting gene sequences loaded on engineered liposomes and phages, bound to hydrogel scaffolds. BIOACTION will develop new biomimetic substrates that can transform biofilm into extracellular matrix for the regeneration of target tissues. It will establish a high versatile technology to be used as injectable materials and implant coatings for periodontal and peri-implant infection treatments. The proposed approach will be validated in two clinically relevant animal models: dental implant and permanent transcutaneous bone.
BIOACTION, would radically advance the future of infection treatment by revolutionizing the classical approaches leading to the improvement of state of care, health outcomes and to achieve huge socio-economic benefits. The project is strongly interdisciplinary in nature involving expertise biomaterials, synthetic biology, phage and liposome technology, medicine.
As a results, this innovative approach will bring the research and knowledge far beyond the current state-of-the-art and will lead, through the planned validation, as proof-of-concept of new materials and technique with a broader application in regenerative medicine.
In this workshop, participants from all the institutions involved in the project will explain their research and activities.

Chairs: Elisabeth Engel, Luigi Ambrosio
14:30 – Claudia Siverini and Marco Chittò (AO Foundation), “Bone infections and treatments”
14:45 – Dorien Van Hede (Université de Liege), “Dental infections and treatments”
15:00 – Diego Cotella (Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale), “Phages to control biofilms”
15:15 – Dr. Cecilia Bombelli (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche – Instituto per i Sistemi biologici), “Liposomes in gene therapy”
15:30 – Ramūnas Valiokas (Ferentis), “Crosslinked peptide hydrogels for tissue engineering and modeling”
15:45 – Giovanna Gomez d’Ayala (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche – Instituto per i Polimeri, Compositi e Biomateriali), “Hydrogels for tissue regeneration”
16:00 – Oscar Castaño (IBEC), “Advanced characterization methodology”
16:15 – Roberta Marzella (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche – IPCB) and Michela Candotti (IN Society) – “Tips on Management and Dissemination of European Projects”
16:30 Discussion and conclusions

IBEC Seminar: Jaap den Toonder
2023-10-11 11:00 - 13:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Microfluidic technology enabling biomedical applications
Jaap den Toonder, Microsystems Research Section, Department of Mechanical Engineering, and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology.
Currently, visiting professor at IBEC, Barcelona
Microfluidics is the science and technology of manipulating and analyzing fluid flow at small scales, typically from millimeters down to micrometers. At these scales, fluid flow is almost always laminar which enables excellent control over the flow. Microfluidic devices can be made using a range of microfabrication approaches and materials, and these enable to integrate tailored electronic or mechanical functions. These unique properties of microfluidic technologies, and the ongoing further development of the technology, enable a range of new biomedical applications, including diagnostic and monitoring devices, medical implants, and organ-on-chip.
In this lecture, I will present recent developments within three research lines of our lab. (1) Bio-inspired microfluidics: A novel microfluidic flow generation concept inspired by nature, which is based on magnetic nano- and micro-actuators we call “artificial cilia”; integrated in microfluidic devices, these can be used to induce flow, to manipulate particles, and as actuators in cellular mechano-transduction research. (2) Microfluidic devices for health: Examples of microfluidic devices for health applications, specifically a sweat sensing device for non-invasive semi-continuous monitoring of hospitalized patients, and a smart eye implant to control eye pressure in glaucoma patients after surgery. (3) Organ-on-chip: A game-changing technology in which human cells are cultured in microfluidic chips simulating and predicting the response of healthy and diseased human tissues. I will focus on cancer-on-chip approaches to understand initial stages of cancer metastasis, and on our lumen-based organ-on-chip models that are enabled by a 3D sugar printing technique we developed.

PhD Discussions: Thomas Wilson and Judith Fuentes
2023-10-20 10:00 - 11:30 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Multiscale buckling of epithelial shells
Thomas Wilson, Integrative Cell and Tissue Dynamics group
Numerous natural and engineered structures are shaped as thin curved shells. When subjected to excessive compressive loading, these shells undergo buckling instabilities that result in wrinkling patterns with complex dynamics. Epithelial tissues such as those enclosing embryos or lining glandular organs are a class of thin shells that displays three distinctive mechanical features: they are viscoelastic over the time scales of physiological loading, they carry an active surface tension, and their stress-bearing elements are distributed across scales. The conditions under which these material properties enable buckling, and the subsequent structural changes are not understood. Here we establish the buckling dynamics of epithelial shells of controlled geometry over several orders of magnitude in time and space. We developed an experimental system that allows us to sculpt epithelial shells and subject them to controlled pressure differentials. We show that, under rapid pressure reductions relative to a characteristic viscoelastic time of the system, the tissue develops buckling patterns with different degrees of symmetry that depend on its size and shape. By contrast, slow deflations allow the tissues to accommodate large strain variations without buckling. Strikingly, we find that epithelial buckling is a multiscale phenomenon involving supracellular folds but also subcellular wrinkles in the actin cortex. Additionally, we can harness the active viscoelastic behaviour of the cell cortex to pattern epithelial folds by rationally directed buckling. Our study shows that epithelial tissues can be understood as hierarchical materials with mechanical instabilities that can be harnessed to engineer morphogenetic events.

Evaluation of self-healing properties in skeletal muscle-based bioactuators
Judith Fuentes, Smart Nano-Bio-Devices group
Three dimensional bioprinting has opened new possibilities for the bioengineering of skeletal muscle models with organization and functionality similar to native tissues. This is key to understand the physiological conditions of skeletal muscle to integrate some of their unique properties, such as self-healing, adaptability, and response to external stimuli, in biohybrid systems. However, the inherent self-healing capability of skeletal muscle has not been fully exploited in these advanced biohybrid platforms. In vivo, skeletal muscle tissue may be repaired via the regenerative function of satellite cells (SC). However, in in vitro conditions, these cells are difficult to expand without altering their self-healing potential. Myogenic reserve cells (RC) offer an alternative potentially useful source to implement advanced regenerative capabilities in biohybrid systems. RC present similar properties to SC and arise during in vitro myoblast differentiation when a subpopulation escape from terminal differentiation. This work presents a 3D-bioprinted skeletal muscle bioactuator which self-healing properties have been evaluated after generating physical damage to the tissue, either by creating cuts or crush injuries. Further studying over the underlying biological events related to muscle repair will be key to moving forward with the design of muscle-based bioactuators with on-demand assisted self-healing properties.

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

IBEC Seminar: Josep Puigmartí-Luis
2023-11-10 10:00 - 12:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
What can microfluidic technologies offer during self-assembly processes?
Josep Puigmartí-Luis, Departament de Ciència dels Materials i Química Física, Institut de Química Teòrica i Computacional (invited by César Rodriguez-Emmenegger)
Self-assembly has long being used to control covalent and non-covalent interactions where molecular design has been the major driving force to achieve a desired outcome. Like in nature, a full control over self-assembly processes could lead to rationalized structure-property correlations, a long-time sought in chemistry, physics and materials science. However, the pathways followed and the mechanisms underlying the formation of supramolecular aggregates are still a major challenge for the scientific community. Accordingly, the elucidation of nucleation and growth mechanisms will be highly required to push supramolecular chemistry to the next level, where access to nature inspired functions will be accomplished. In this contribution, I will present how reaction-diffusion (RD) conditions established within microfluidic devices can be used to uncover pathway complexity as well as to trigger pathway selection. Specifically, I will show that microfluidic RD conditions provide an unprecedented kinetic control over self-assembly processes; for example, enabling the isolation of well-defined kinetically trapped states as well as unprecedented metastable intermediates. This research provides a new tool to study and understand supramolecular chemistry, and opens up new avenues for the engineering of advanced functional assemblies and systems.

Prof. Dr. Josep Puigmartí-Luis is a chemist who completed a master in Chemistry and Food Engineering at “Institut Químico de Serrià (IQS)” (2003) and did a PhD in materials science at Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona (ICMAB). His work in supramolecular and flow chemistry, has been awarded with “Premi Antoni de Martí i Franquès de Ciències Químiques”, award from the Institut d’Estudis Catalans (2009), St. Jordi award from the Institut d’Estudis Catalans and the Societat Catalana de Química (2006) and an ETH fellowship in 2008.
In 2012, he was appointed a Ramon Y Cajal (RyC) researcher, but after two years as a RyC, he decided to move back to Switzerland where in 2015 was awarded an ERC starting grant to study and control self-assembly processes of metal-organic based crystalline materials. In 2019, he was appointed as an ICREA professor and since August 2020 his group is located at the University of Barcelona (UB).

IBEC Seminar: Martí Duocastella
2023-11-15 12:00 - 13:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Toward the next generation of 3D optical microscopes: faster, deeper, and label-free
Martí Duocastella, Departament de Fisica Aplicada, Universitat de Barcelona
Three-dimensional (3D) optical microscopy is the tool of choice for characterizing the structure and dynamics of biological systems at sub-cellular resolution. However, most microscope architectures are tailored to capture two-dimensional (2D) information from moderately thin samples labeled with fluorophores. Due to constraints posed by light scattering and the requirement for mechanical focus translation, existing systems provide shallow penetration depth and low volumetric imaging speed, thus falling short of unraveling biological complexity inside medium-sized organisms or even organoids. In this talk, I will discuss our efforts to overcome these issues and achieve sub-millisecond imaging at potentially millimeter depths and without labels. Our strategy consists of focusing, modulating, and guiding light by exploiting the acousto-optic effect, that is, ultrasound-induced refractive index gradients. The unique interaction between ultrasound and light enables rapid 3D light control, making it suitable for the development of inertia-free light sheet microscopes that lack mechanically moving parts and offer imaging rates of tens of volumes per second. It also facilitates illumination encoding in single-pixel cameras, enabling scanless 2D imaging at 5 kHz. Interestingly, applying ultrasonic waves in a scattering medium acts as an instantaneous waveguide embedded in the medium, helping to redirect light toward a 7-fold deeper focus. I will discuss the advantages and pitfalls of these acousto-optic technologies and illustrate them with applications, including imaging of spheroids and flowing samples.

Martí Duocastella is a Serra Hunter full professor in the Department of Applied Physics at Universitat de Barcelona (UB) and leader of the Dynamic Optical Systems Lab. He completed his PhD in Physics at UB in 2010 and then moved to Princeton University as a postdoctoral research associate, where he also became the vice-president of Research and Development of the startup company TAG Optics. In 2014 he joined Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia as a researcher (group leader), until returning to Barcelona as a faculty member in 2019. His research focuses on novel optical methods for three-dimensional (3D) light engineering, with applications in materials science, sensing, and biology. He is an ERC Consolidator Grant awardee.
In 2012, he was appointed a Ramon Y Cajal (RyC) researcher, but after two years as a RyC, he decided to move back to Switzerland where in 2015 was awarded an ERC starting grant to study and control self-assembly processes of metal-organic based crystalline materials. In 2019, he was appointed as an ICREA professor and since August 2020 his group is located at the University of Barcelona (UB)

Plan Complementario de Biotecnología Aplicada a la Salud: el futuro de la medicina personalizada
2023-11-17 09:00 - 17:00 | Auditori Antoni Caparrós, PCB, Tower D, c/Baldiri Reixac 4-8, Barcelona, Spain
La jornada “Plan Complementario de Biotecnología Aplicada a la Salud: el futuro de la medicina personalizada” es un evento organizado en el marco del Plan Complementario de Biotecnología aplicada a la Salud en Cataluña.
Durante el evento se presentarán las principales acciones colaborativas coordinadas desde Cataluña que cuentan con la colaboración de las comunidades autónomas participantes en el Plan. Estos proyectos abarcan desde el desarrollo e implementación de modelos integrados de inteligencia artificial para predecir el riesgo de determinadas enfermedades hasta el desarrollo de nuevos métodos para el cribado de fármacos que ayuden a acelerar el descubrimiento de nuevas dianas terapéuticas, así como el desarrollo de técnicas avanzadas para la mejora de procesos quirúrgicos y técnicas de realidad virtual y aumentada.
Asimismo, se presentarán las diferentes plataformas tecnológicas de apoyo a la I+D financiadas por el Plan Complementario en Cataluña, y que serán de acceso abierto a toda la comunidad de I+D española. Dos de ellas se podrán visitar al final de la jornada: Plataforma de Cribado de Fármacos del IRB y Escáner de Resonancia Magnética nuclear 3T preclínico (MRI) del IBEC.
El objetivo de la jornada es que sea un lugar de encuentro y networking que ayude a estimular y fortalecer colaboraciones entre los diferentes actores del ecosistema de investigación traslacional en salud en Cataluña y con el resto de las comunidades autónomas participantes en el Plan.
Registro aquí

El Plan Complementario de Biotecnología Aplicada a la Salud ha sido cofinanciado por el Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades con fondos de la Unión Europea NextGenerationEU, el Plan de Recuperación, Transformación y Resiliencia (PRTR-C17.I1).

La Medicina del Futur en Vinyetes﻿
2023-11-18 12:00 - 20:00 | Centre Comercial El Triangle Plaza Catalunya 4, 08002 – Barcelona
Et preguntes com s’està dissenyant la medicina del futur?
This activity will be in Catalan and Spanish.
Des de nanorobots per combatre cèl·lules canceroses fins a músculs en un xip per a tractar la distròfia muscular. Noves estratègies per a vèncer els superbacteris i fàrmacs que s’activen amb la llum per actuar exclusivament en el lloc de la malaltia.
Tot això t’ho expliquem amb les històries de l’IBBI, la superheroïna de la bioenginyeria.
Participa de la ciència més avantguardista explicada pels seus protagonistes. Vine i emporta’t un còmic signat per ells.
Més informació a l’enllaç.

NanoBio&Med2023
2023-11-21 - 2023-11-23
The NanoBio&Med2023 is going to present the most recent international developments in the field of Nanobiotechnology and Nanomedicine and will provide a platform for multidisciplinary communication, new cooperations and projects to participants from both science and industry. Emerging and future trends of the converging fields of Nanotechnology, Biotechnology and Medicine will be discussed among industry, academia, governmental and non-governmental institutions. NanoBio&Med2023 will be the perfect place to get a complete overview into the state of the art in those fields and also to learn about the research carried out and the latest results. The discussion in recent advances, difficulties and breakthroughs will be at his higher level.
An industrial forum will be organized to promote constructive dialogue between business and public leaders and put specific emphasis on the technologies and applications in the nanoBioMed sector.

More information here.

Cloenda de la 6 edició de bojos i boges per la Bioenginyeria
2023-11-24 17:30 - 19:30 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Parc Científic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
El dia 24 de novembre celebrem la cloenda de la 6a edició del programa Bojos i boges per la Bioenginyeria on els participants d’enguany presentaran les seves idees i rebran els seus diplomes.
This event will be in Catalan.

Divendres 24 de novembre – 17:30h
Sala Dolors Aleu, Parc Científic de Barcelona (C. Baldiri Reixac, 4-8, 08028 Barcelona)
Programa:
17:15-17:30 – Rebuda dels participants
17:30-17:45 – Inauguració de la sessió
Pere Roca, Institut de Bioenyingeria de Catalunya
17:45- 18:00 – Què significa per a una investigadora participar en el programa?
Alba Herrero, investigadora del grup “Molecular Imaging for Precision Medicine”, IBEC
18:00-19:00 – Presentació de treballs finals
19:00-19:15 – Lliurament de diplomes
19:15 – Agraïments i cloenda
Pere Roca, Institut de Bioenyingeria de Catalunya (7 minuts)
Lluis Farres, Director Coneixement i Recerca a la Fundació Catalunya la Pedrera (7 minuts)
19:30 – Final de la jornada
Registre aquí.

She leads: round table
2023-11-30 15:00 - 17:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
We are excited to announce an upcoming event that promises to be both insightful and empowering – the “She Leads” Round Table Discussion. This event will bring together distinguished participants from IBEC, including group leaders, senior researchers, and professionals from management, to share their experiences and insights on leadership, mentoring, and the challenges they have faced throughout their careers.

Date: November 30th,
Hour: 15:15 – 17:00 h
Place: IBEC; Room Baobab, Tower I Floor 11
Chairs: Teresa Sanchis (Head of Strategy) & Ainhoa Ferret (Predoctoral researcher)
Speakers:

Elena Martínez Fraiz – Group Leader – Biomimetic Systems for Cell Engineering
Irene Marco Rius – Junior Group Leader – Molecular Imaging for Precision Medicine
Lorena Ruiz Pérez – Senior researcher – Molecular Bionics
Anabel-Lise Le Roux – Senior researcher – Cellular and Molecular Mechanobiology
Teresa Galán Cascales – Microfab and Microscopy Characterization Facilities Coordinator – Core Facilities Unit

IBEC Seminar: Dr. Neil Lin
2023-12-01 12:00 - 13:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Epithelial Cell Variability is Governed by Physics Principles and Has Mechanobiology Impacts
Dr. Neil Lin, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Bioengineering at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Biological systems inherently exhibit variability, seen in diverse cell shapes, sizes, and mechanical properties. Despite its prevalence, our understanding of the role of phenotypic heterogeneity in cell biology is incomplete. This talk explores how basic physics governs cell-to-cell variability in epithelial monolayers and its impact on biological processes. The first part covers how cell shape heterogeneity influences chromatin organization during crowding. The second part demonstrates that in deformed epithelial layers, nucleo-cytoskeleton coupling regulates intracellular strain distribution, influencing cellular mechanoresponse and gene expression. Overall, cell-cell variability significantly shapes tissue development and remodeling.

Dr. Neil Lin is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Bioengineering at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He obtained his Ph.D. in physics at Cornell University, studying the microscopic mechanisms that underlie the non-Newtonian suspension flow property. From there, he went on to do a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University, studying approaches to recreate microenvironment cues for recapitulating kidney functions in vitro. He joined UCLA in 2019, and his research is to utilize mechanobiology principles to engineer epithelial tissues. His honors include an NIH MIRA, Prostate Cancer Foundation Young Investigator Award, and BMES CMBE Rising Star Award.

Nanomed Spain: JORNADA SOBRE PROYECTOS DE COLABORACIÓN PÚBLICO-PRIVADA 2023 (Spanish)
2023-12-14 10:30 - 14:00 | Cambra de Comerç, Av. Diagonal, 452 – 454, Barcelona
NANOMEDSPAIN organizes together with the Leitat technology center a conference on the call for Public-Private Collaboration Projects that will open at the beginning of 2024.
Mª Estefanía Freitas, Deputy Head of the Scientific-Technical Thematic Programs Branch of the State Research Agency, Ministry of Science and Innovation, will present the most important aspects and main novelties of the call.
The day will also have the possibility of holding meetings between interested parties and Mª Estefanía Freitas, and B2B meetings between those attending the day.
This event will be in Spanish.

PhD Discussions: Zhendong Xie and Júlia Alcàcer
2023-12-15 10:00 - 11:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Integrating phenotypic targeting in physiologically-based pharmacokinetics modeling.
Zhendong Xie, Molecular Bionics group
Selective drugging, also known as the “magic bullet,” is the concept that drugs can target specific molecules, cells, or targets while minimising interactions with other parts of the body. Nanoparticles (NPs) with functioned ligands target cells with a certain range of receptors due to the multivalent effect. To develop precision drugs, it is crucial to understand how NPs are distributed in different organs and interact with different cell types in vivo. Our focus is on investigating the distribution of poly(2-(methacryloyloxy)ethylphosphorylcholine)-poly(2-(diisopropyl-amino)ethyl methacrylate) (PMPC-PDPA) polymersome. We use the PMPC polymersome’s interactions with different receptors to target specific cell groups based on phenotypic association theory (PAT), a statistical model based on the description between nanocarriers and cell phenotype (receptor density and glycocalyx).
We integrate phenotypic targeting in physiologically-based pharmacokinetics modeling (PBPK) to mimic the distribution of NPs in organs in silico to identify the most selective combination of parameters for precision drugs. The PBPK is built based on the circulation system, anatomy data, and cell protein atlas to predict the distribution of NPs among different organs, considering the advection among various biological fluids, diffusion of NPs in different organs, and NPs’ interaction with different cells. A non-Langmiur differential rate equation (NLDRE) is applied to extrapolate the PMPC-cell interaction kinetics based on single-cell level uptake experiments. The association constant/affinity kA/j is derived from the PAT to reveal the selectivity of NPs to different cells. We propose that the difference in kA/j results in a larger distribution and cell targeting discrimination.
Through experiments in vivo, we obtained information about drug distribution among different organs, the selectivity of NPs to different cells, and some undetectable parameters such as glycocalyx density. Based on these parameters, we change the injected dose, the NP radius, and the polymerization of the PMPC ligand to simulate the distribution of PMPC in silico and develop a better administration strategy.

Exploring host-pathogen interactions: Unraveling the dynamics of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cenocepacia infection in Galleria mellonella
Júlia Alcàcer, Bacterial infections: antimicrobial therapies group
Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cenocepacia are two multidrug-resistant opportunistic pathogens often isolated from the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients. It is known that the presence of more than one species in an infection promotes the appearance of a network of interactions that can lead to an increase in their antimicrobial tolerance or to the evasion of the host immune system. Galleria mellonella has been used as an animal model throughout this study, as its immune system is comparable to that of mammals, and it presents practical advantages such as their easy maintenance. With the aim of understanding bacterial and host behaviors after infection, the survival rate of Galleria mellonella after a P. aeruginosa and B. cenocepacia single and dual-species infection was monitored, as well as the efficacy of antibiotic treatment to such infections. In order to characterize the infection evolution, the tissue-specific infection dissemination and hemocyte phagocytosis were evaluated through confocal microscopy.

IBEC Seminar: Pavan Kumar Bosukonda
2023-12-15 14:00 - 15:00 | Sala Olivera, Tower I, Floor 11
Smart artificial microcompartments: motility and communication
Pavan Kumar Bosukonda, Assistant Professor at the Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee

Nature is a continuous source of inspiration for the design of smart and intelligent materials. In particular, cells which are the building blocks of life display a complex symphony of various chemical/physical processes which make “life” possible and give it the characteristics which enable life to flourish and sustain. The topology of control systems in place within living cells offer many lessons in design of smart artificial microcompartments or microbots. In this talk, I will be discussing examples of microcompartments which are capable of smart adaptive motility, self-assembly and chemical-mediated communication with each other. We use simple buoyancy forces to regulate movement of our microcapsules and use antagonistic control to design relatively complex autonomous behavior by employing stratified chemical environments. The motile microcapsules can turn on/off chemical reactions and carry out logistics of molecular cargo. Also, I will discuss how we can use the combination of a stimuli responsive hydrogel and stratified environments to design a chemo-mechanical oscillator. Another focus will be our results on multiphase coacervates and how they formulate a pathway for self-assembly of microdroplets into clusters or tissue-like structures and trigger chemical communication between them.

Brief Bio: Dr. Pavan Kumar Bosukonda is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee. He carried out his doctoral studies at Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bangalore, in the field of porous materials wherein his specific interest was to use supramolecular strategies for pore engineering in mesoporous silica. After completing his Ph.D. in 2015, he moved to the University of Bristol, UK, to work with Prof. Stephen Mann as a Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellow in the field of protocells. His current research interests are focused on developing strategies to fabricate motile microcompartments, study of multiphase dynamics in liquid-liquid phase separation and designing strategies for regulating chemical communication between microcompartments.

IBEC Seminar: Prof. Aitor Aguirre
2023-12-19 10:00 - 11:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Reverse engineering human heart development with pluripotent stem cells
Prof. Aitor Aguirre, Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering (IQ) and the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Michigan State University
During development, an exquisitely orchestrated series of biological processes lay down the map for the entirety of our bodies and carry it out to perfection. However, occasional errors occur (due to mutations, environmental factors, and other causes) and lead to congenital defects, the most common birth defect in humans affecting 1% of all newborns. Certain conditions such as obesity, diabetes, infections or drug use can increase this risk much further.
To tackle CHDs, we are reverse engineering human heart development on a dish with the use of pluripotent stem cells, creating heart organoids or synthetic mini-hearts. By recapitulating aspects of heart development in vitro, under fully controlled conditions, we can dissect gene networks and morphological changes that give rise to specific parts of the heart to understand and prevent CHD, such as single ventricle defects. Furthermore, we can also use these mini-hearts as models to study the exposure to environmental conditions and other factors that are very poorly known.

Dr. Aguirre obtained his B.S. in Biology and M.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of the Basque Country and his Ph.D. in Material Science at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC). For his postdoctoral training Dr. Aguirre joined The Salk Institute under the supervision of J.C. Izpisua-Belmonte, where he explored in vivo reprogramming applied to cardiac regeneration, making significant contributions to non-coding RNA biology in human cardiac development (Cell Stem Cell, 2014; Circulation, 2015). Dr. Aguirre became Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Diego in 2017 and joined the Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering (IQ) and the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Michigan State University one year later. He became associate professor in 2023 and is currently the Chief of IQ’s Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Division and the Director of MSU’s Stem Cell Core Facility. Dr. Aguirre has extensive experience in cardiac development, cardiovascular disease, tissue engineering and -omic approaches. Dr. Aguirre has received numerous awards and nominations including the Hispanic Center of Excellence award at the University of California, a career development NHLBI K01 award and frequently serves in grant review panels for the NIH and European Commission, among others.

Christmas Party 2023
2023-12-19 20:00 - 22:00 | Fifteen Restaurant, PCB
There’ll be food, drink, music and some fun surprises at this most wonderful time of the year!

Venue

Fifteen restaurant (PCB)

Programme

20:00 – 21:00 · Sale of raffle tickets
20:00 – 22:00 · Christmas appetizer
22:00 · Raffle and party
00:30 · End

When you register, you’ll have a chance to choose a charity to be a beneficiary of our annual raffle. Tickets will be sold at the beginning of the event(€1 each) to support the chosen charity.
https://events.ibecbarcelona.eu/christmas/

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)

Transversal skills: Tess Marschner
2024-01-12 10:00 - 11:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
ANIMAL REMINDER
Posthuman, queer and animate perspectives on (Techno)Sciences
I will introduce my previous artistic work and share the current state of my project at Ibec. It would be magnificent if my presentation leads to further thoughts and collaborations that are of interest to my project.
I will focus on my installation work ANIMAL REMINDER in terms of intertwining artistic and scientific knowledge production. The philosopher Martha C. Nussbaum describes animal reminders as parts or aspects of the human body that evoke a strong aversion or even disgust: Blood, saliva, urine, sweat, amniotic fluid, pus, breast milk, faeces, ejaculate. Body surfaces of living beings are perforated several times, ANIMAL REMINDER emerge from pores and body orifices, interfaces of skins and mucous membranes at the boundary to air, water and earth. ANIMAL REMINDER are reminiscent of the process of decomposition, of slimy animals, the uncontrollable loss of bodily fluids. They remind us that we ourselves are mortal and animal beings.
In case you are heavily interested in my work but unable to attend, feel free to write me a pm and we can figure out a personal meeting.

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.

IBEC Seminar: Al Jord
2024-01-19 10:00 - 11:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Mechanisms of Organelle Remodeling for Cellular Function
Al Jord, Group leader of Mechanisc of organelle remodeling group, Centre for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona
To function, organisms rely on vital organs which, in turn, rely on specialized cells. At the subcellular scale, cell specialization is notably driven by robust mechanisms of organelle remodeling. Thus, discovering these mechanisms is key for the fundamental understanding of organisms in health and disease, as well as for improved organ engineering. In this seminar, I will discuss my research on organelle remodeling in somatic and female germ cells. I will first show how multiciliated cells – critical for nervous, respiratory and reproductive organs – repurpose conserved mechanisms of cell division to remodel organelles for motile ciliogenesis. I will then talk about how oocytes deploy a biophysical mechanism, based on cytoplasmic force tuning, to mechanically remodel nuclear RNA-processing organelles for reproductive success. I will conclude with some future research plans, blending my past and present interests into an interdisciplinary project that will venture into unexplored grounds of nuclear organelle mechano-regulation in somatic cells to deepen our understanding of organ development and homeostasis.

Key relevant publications :

Al Jord, A. et al. Centriole amplification by mother and daughter centrioles differs in multiciliated cells. Nature 516, 104–107 (2014).

Al Jord, A. et al. Calibrated mitotic oscillator drives motile ciliogenesis. Science 358, 803–806 (2017).

Al Jord, A. et al. Cytoplasmic forces functionally reorganize nuclear condensates in oocytes. Nat. Commun. 13:5070, 1–19 (2022).

PhD Discussions: Ainhoa Ferret and Marta Badia
2024-01-26 10:00 - 11:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
3D bioengineered liver for the study of acute and chronic hepatic damage
Ainhoa Ferret, Biosensors for bioengineering group
The liver, a vital organ, faces acute and chronic insults that disrupt its normal function. Understanding the mechanisms underlying acute and chronic liver damage is crucial for developing effective treatments. Traditional liver models face several limitations. As a result, 3D models have emerged as a more physiologically cellular microenvironment for investigating disease progression, identifying potential therapeutic targets, and developing new drugs. We developed a 3D liver using human hepatocytes, HSCs, and monocytes. The cells were encapsulated in a mixture of GelMA and CMCMA, and LAP as a photo-initiator. The 3D livers were kept in culture for up to 30 days in serum-free medium. They were challenged with acetaminophen and LPS (APAP-LPS), known hepatotoxic compounds, to recreate the pathophysiological phenotype of liver damage in vitro. Extensive liver damage characterized by hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation and proliferation was observed upon challenge with APAP-LPS. In vivo, these cells exhibited the myofibroblast phenotype typical of activated HSCs. Additionally, impaired gene expression of hepatocyte functionality markers was observed. The transition from monocytes to proinflammatory cytokine-releasing macrophages measured the inflammation level. Notably, dexamethasone demonstrated potent beneficial effects, reducing hepatocyte damage, inhibiting HSC activation, and decreasing collagen production. These results were observed in both acute (high APAP-LPS concentration/3 days) and chronic (low APAP-LPS concentration/30 days) models. The 3D model presented here demonstrates its value as a versatile platform for drug screening in both acute and chronic liver damage scenarios. Its ability to reproduce critical features of liver pathophysiology, including hepatocyte functionality impairment, HSC activation, and inflammation, makes it a valuable tool for studying liver diseases and evaluating potential therapeutic interventions. Furthermore, the adaptability of this model for high-throughput screening provides an opportunity to accelerate the drug discovery process and improve patient outcomes in liver damage-related conditions.

Disclosures
Conflict of interest: This study is supported by Grifols.

What makes a prion behave like a prion? Lessons from deep mutagenesis
Marta Badia, Protein phase transitions in health and disease group
Prions are proteins capable of promoting conformational changes of other protein isoforms. When prion proteins switch from a soluble (non-prion) state to a misfolded (prion) state, they can bind to each other forming small nuclei that can rapidly incorporate other monomers and form amyloid-like aggregates. Subtle differences in the sequence of prionic proteins are enough to impair the recruitment of monomers into these small nuclei, creating a barrier for the nucleation of aggregates. Learning how this barrier is established (and overcome) is fundamental to explain prion nucleation and to understand cross-species prion infection.
Yeast prions serve as a good and tractable model to study amyloid formation and protein aggregation. Sup35 is one of the most intensively studied yeast prions and its N-terminal domain is sufficient for prion nucleation and the maintenance of its prionic state. However, the mechanisms by which Sup35 starts nucleating amyloid aggregates and the features that prevent this nucleation still need to be elucidated.
Using deep mutagenesis, we built a library encompassing all single amino acid changes in the QN-rich region (aa 2-40) of the Sup35 N-terminal domain. We then employed a massively parallel approach that combines high-throughput sequencing with a selection assay that is able to measure Sup35 nucleation in yeast cells.
By systematically quantifying the effect of hundreds of mutants in the QN-rich domain of Sup35 we determined the compatibility of each mutation with an effective Sup35 nucleation. Thanks to this dataset, we identified a nine-residue segment (residues 17-25) crucial for this process. On the other hand, our comprehensive dataset also uncovers mutants that increase Sup35 nucleation, gaining mechanistic insights on the nucleation of this model system and how prion species barriers can be overcome.

IBEC Seminar: Marc Suarez Calvet
2024-01-31 12:00 - 13:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Blood biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease: advancing diagnosis and patient care
Marc Suárez-Calvet, Barcelonabeta Brain Research Center, Fundació Pasqual Maragall, Servei de Neurologia, Hospital del Mar.

In recent years, one of the most significant breakthroughs in Alzheimer’s disease research has been the emergence of blood biomarkers that offer accurate detection of AD. Our research group has successfully demonstrated the utility of these blood biomarkers not only in patients presenting with cognitive impairement but also in individuals at the preclinical stage of Alzheimer’s. Moving forward, our focus lies in establishing the routine application of these biomarkers in clinical settings, with a keen eye on assessing their positive impact on patient outcomes. Furthermore, our ongoing efforts are dedicated to the exploration of novel blood biomarkers that can furnish valuable insights into the prognosis of Alzheimer’s patients.

Nanodía Mundial Contra el Cáncer
2024-02-01 09:30 - 12:30 | Sede Barcelona Asociación Española contra el Cáncer (AECC) Travessera de les Corts, 268
This event will be held in Spanish
El Nanodía Mundial Contra el Cáncer es un evento organizado en el marco del Día Mundial contra el Cáncer donde se darán a conocer las últimas innovaciones en materia de NANOMEDICINA contra el CÁNCER, con temas que van desde el diagnóstico precoz, la liberación controlada de fármacos o la radioterapia con nanopartículas.
Un año más, expertos en NANOMEDICINA de diferentes campos -investigadores, empresarios, médicos oncólogos, pacientes, etc.-, expondrán los últimos avances y nos darán la oportunidad de descubrir el generador de progreso que la NANOMEDICINA significa para la salud como creador de nuevas oportunidades en el diagnóstico y el tratamiento del cáncer y como podemos contribuir en la misión Europea contra el cáncer.
NANOMED Spain organiza la edición de este año con la colaboración de la Asociación Española contra el Cáncer.
Registro e información aquí.

Barcelona Health Innovation Week
2024-02-14 15:00 - 16:30 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Parc Científic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
This event will be held in Spanish and Catalan.

REPTES EN INNOVACIÓ EN MEDICINA PERSONALITZADA I TERÀPIES EMERGENTS

Aquesta taula rodona abordarà alguns dels reptes actuals de la medicina personalitzada i les teràpies emergents.
Com fomentar la col·laboració interdisciplinària entre els diferents investigadors, empreses, professionals de la salut i reguladors? Com aconseguir la translació clínica dels descobriments bàsics? Quins són els principals problemes en l’escalabilitat i l’accés a les teràpies emergents? Com podem assolir un equilibri entre l’eficàcia i el cost d’aquestes teràpies? Com podem garantir un accés equitatiu a l’atenció sanitària personalitzada?
Mitjançant un diàleg, els ponents convidats identificaran oportunitats per impulsar l’ús de noves tecnologies en el camp de la salut.

PARTICIPANTS EN LA TAULA RODONA

Josep Samitier, Director de l’IBEC i Coordinador del Pla Complementari de Biotecnologia aplicada a la Salud.
Samuel Sánchez, Fundador de la start-up Nanobots Therapeutics. Membre del Comitè Tècnic del Pla Complementari.
Laia Arnal, Directora General de Transferència i Societat del Coneixement del Departament de Recerca i Universitats.
Joël Jean-Mairet, Managing partner i cofundador d’Ysios Capital. Membre del comitè industrial del Pla Complementari.
Isabel Amat, Global Head of Innovation and Pipeline Management de Reig Jofré.

LLOC

Sala Dolors Aleu, Parc Científic de Barcelona, C. Bardiri Reixac, 4-8, Barcelona.
REGISTRE.

CATCAT Mechanobiology Morning
2024-02-19 09:00 - 13:00 | Auditori Antoni Caparrós, PCB, Tower D, c/Baldiri Reixac 4-8, Barcelona, Spain
Cell and Tissue Research in Catalonia (CATCAT) brings together research groups from different institutes, focusing on understanding cellular and molecular mechanisms driving fundamental biological processes.
This new session will be focused on Mechanobiology.

9:15 – 9:30 Welcome9:30 – 10:10 Kevin Chalut (Altos Labs) “Extracellular matrix drives tissue regeneration”
10.10 – 10:25 Lucas Cunha (UPF) “Mechanics and cell behaviours underlying the epithelialization of the otic placode.”
10:25 – 10:40 Waleed Mirza (EMBL Barcelona) “Modelling the active self organisation of stress fibres in spread cells”
10:40 – 11:10 Coffee Break
11:10 – 11:50 María García-Parajo (ICFO) “Insights on the organization and differential activation of integrins inside adhesions”
11:50 – 12:05 Fabio Pezzano (CRG) “Regulation of cell fitness under mechanical stress by nuclear ATP”
12:05 – 12:20 Marija Matejcic (IBEC) “Mechanics of cell extrusion in open-lumen intestinal organoids”
12:20 – 13:00 Ewa Paluch (Cambridge University) “The biomechanics of cell shape control”

IBEC Seminar: Ernesto Mejías
2024-02-21 12:00 - 13:30 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Vaccinia in & as next-gen oncolytic virotherapy: exploiting the synergy between oncolysis and chemotherapy
Dr Ernesto Mejías Pérez Ramón y Cajal researcher Instituto Maimonides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba (IMIBIC), Universidad de Córdoba. Dpto. de Biología Celular, Fisiología e Inmunología
In the fight against cancer, conventional treatments fall short of healthcare expectations. Oncolytic virotherapy is a versatile and robust alternative. With exceptional immunogenic features, Vaccinia virus (VACV) is a standout oncolytic vector whose anti-tumor ability is usually enhanced by gene deletions for better safety and heterologous genes insertions for improved cytotoxicity. Yet, VACV’s translation to effective anti-tumor treatments suffers from major shortcomings that warrant immediate solutions, among those the limited efficacy as a standalone treatment need to be overcome.
To tackle this challenge head-on, my laboratory is focused on developing next-generation synergistic therapeutic strategies towards strengthening the anti-tumor effects of the oncolytic virotherapy based on Vaccinia virus by boosting the infection efficacy and triggering a strong chemosensitization upon nucleoside analog treatment. This approach builds on the unique multifaceted role that SAMHD1 has at the interface oncolysis:chemotherapy.

Nano Rare Diseases Day
2024-02-28 10:30 - 12:30 | Pg. de Sant Joan de Déu, 2, Esplugues de Llobregat
This event will be held in Spanish.
El Nano Rare Diseases Day es un evento organizado en el marco del Día Mundial de las Enfermedades Minoritarias donde se darán a conocer las últimas innovaciones en materia de Nanomedicina con temas que van desde el diagnóstico precoz, la liberación controlada de fármacos o el desarrollo de nuevas terapias.
Durante esta jornada, expertos en Nanomedicina de diferentes campos -investigación, empresa, práctica clínica, autoridades sanitarias, pacientes, etc.-, expondrán los últimos avances y nos darán la oportunidad de descubrir el generador de progreso que la Nanomedicina significa para la salud como creador de nuevas oportunidades en el diagnóstico y el tratamiento de las enfermedades minoritarias.

PhD Discussions: Alba Herrero y Clement Hallopeau
2024-03-01 10:00 - 11:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Molecular imaging to unveil the pathophysiology of metabolic associated fatty liver disease
Alba Herrero, Molecular Imaging for Precision Medicine group
Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), a progressive liver condition rapidly rising to lead to chronic liver disease worldwide, manifests as metabolic dysregulation, leading to steatosis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis if left untreated. Beyond the liver, it induces high BMI, insulin resistance, and elevated plasma glucose amongst others. Age, genetics, and sex influence its clinical presentation, hindering biomarker detection. Currently, real-time metabolic monitoring is not readily available in clinical settings. Hyperpolarized Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Imaging (HP-MRSI) boosts MR signals, allowing for real-time metabolic tracking of 13C-labelled substrates, such as pyruvate, posing as a solution to this problem.
We delineated 6 study groups to evaluate the effects on liver metabolism of specific MAFLD risk factors, these being diet, sex, and genetics. Subjects were monitored throughout the experiment for signs of insulin resistance, increased plasma glucose, and BMI levels as MAFLD indicators. Analyzed with a 3T preclinical MRI scanner, and after injection of hyperpolarized [1-13C]-pyruvate, the metabolism of pyruvate was tracked in situ, probing downstream metabolic products such as lactate and alanine.
Metabolic imaging has the potential to be used in clinical settings to diagnose and track metabolic dysfunctions. Real-time monitoring of pyruvate metabolism using HP-MRSI has revealed alterations across various metabolic conditions, displaying its clinical potential.

Mechanisms of mechanical compartmentalisation in intestinal organoids
Clement Hallopeau, Integrative Cell and Tissue Dynamics group
Monolayers of intestinal organoids recapitulate the functional compartmentalisation seen in-vivo.
Crypt-like regions host stem cells, Paneth cells and transit amplifying cells, whereas villus-like regions contain differentiated cells. Measurements of traction forces in these organoids have
established that stem cells push the underlying substrate while the transit-amplifying cells pull it, defining clear mechanical and functional compartments (Pérez-González, Ceada et al, Nat Cell Bio, 2021). Crypt-villus compartmentalisation is attributed to opposed gradients in Eph/ephrin signaling, but how these gradients are linked to the mechanical pattern is unknown. To address this question, we studied the mechanical and functional compartmentalisation in organoids derived from mice lacking EphB2 and EphB3 (EphB2-/-, EphB3-/-). We found that, unlike in wild type organoids (WT), crypts of EphB2-/-EphB3-/- organoids (KO) expand at the expense of the villuslike region. This phenotype is associated to an increased proliferation of the KO crypts and a decreased expression of the stemness marker olfm4. In mechanical terms, the 3D traction pattern of the KO crypts is qualitatively similar to the WT, but forces have a decreased amplitude, suggesting a decreased tension around the KO crypts. Taken together, these data establish a link between the mechanical features and the size homeostasis of the functional compartments of the intestinal organoid, governed by Eph/ephrin signaling.
