Innovación multidisciplinar en medicina personalizada (Spanish)
2023-05-30 10:00 - 18:00 (Europe/Madrid) | Instituto de Salud Carlos III Salón de Actos Ernest Lluch, pabellón 13 Campus de Chamartin Calle Monforte de Lemos, 5 Madrid
30 DE MAYO DE 2023 · INSTITUTO DE SALUD CARLOS III

La jornada «Innovación multidisciplinar en medicina personalizada» es un evento organizado en el marco del Plan Complementario de Biotecnología aplicada a la Salud. Durante el evento se presentarán las principales líneas de trabajo del Plan, que abarcan temas que van desde el uso y gestión de bases de datos en medicina de precisión hasta el desarrollo de nanofármacos, así como técnicas y procesos para terapias avanzadas y dirigidas.
El objetivo de la jornada es fortalecer y estimular colaboraciones entre los diferentes actores del ecosistema de investigación traslacional en salud.
La jornada también servirá para crear sinergias con los diferentes programas y plataformas financiadas por el ISCIIII.

IBEC Seminar: Danny Hatters
2023-06-06 09:30 - 11:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Protein interactions gone awry in neurodegenerative disease
Danny Hatters, Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology | Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences
The University of Melbourne, Australia

The Hatters lab studies impacts of protein misfolding and aggregation in cultured cell models of neurodegenerative diseases. We have developed approaches to examine principles governing how proteins inappropriately aggregate and new approaches with chemical reagents to monitor cysteine reactivity to probe changes in proteome foldedness and conformation. I will discuss recent findings from our laboratory that provide insight to the consequences of protein aggregation by globular proteins, and how we can model the types of protein-protein interactions that are involved. I will also discuss how we can monitor changes in protein structure and function in response to stresses and stimuli, and under conditions of disease in Huntington Disease.

Greening the lab: celebrating ibec's sustainable practices
2023-06-06 15:00 - 18:00 | Sala Félix Serratosa – PCB, c/ Baldiri i reixac 10-12, Barcelona, Spain, 08028, Spain
On 6th of June we will celebrate that we are the first research center in Spain to certify its laboratories as sustainable by My Green Labs.
Since the publication of the IBEC Strategy to promote sustainability in research in 2021, IBEC has been working to make the work in the labs and in the institute more sustainable.
All this work has been recently recognized by becoming the first research center in Spain to certify its laboratories as sustainable by My Green Labs.
The next 6th of June at 3pm, we will celebrate this success and share our experience and best practices.
Come and join us at the PCB!

Advanced Functional Polymers for Medicine 2023​ conference
2023-06-07 09:00 - 2023-06-09 15:00 | Auditori Antoni Caparrós, PCB, Tower D, c/Baldiri Reixac 4-8, Barcelona, Spain
The purpose of the AFPM conference series is to strengthen the interactions within the community of chemists, material engineers, physicists, biologists and clinicians in the development of Advanced Functional Polymers for Medicine.
The current status, challenges and requirements for future developments of polymers for medicine are presented by leading experts. The conference provides an outstanding opportunity to help young scientists in their career development and offers them an interdisciplinary discussion forum within an exclusive circle.
Information, programme, and registration fee here.

PhD Complementary Skills: From Lab to Clinic
2023-06-09 10:00 - 11:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
From Lab to Clinic: An Overview of IBEC’s Clinical Mentoring Programme
Do you know what IBEC’s Clinical Mentoring Programme is about? Have you considered participating in it?
In this Complementary Skills session, Anna Gassol and Georgina Sorrosal from Col·legi official de Metges (COMB) together with Cristina Arimany from the Strategic Initiatives department at IBEC will explain the basis of the program. Meritxell Serra Casablancas (Smart Nano-Bio-Devices Group) and Luisa Camerin (Nanoprobes and Nanoswitches Group) will share their experience as the first mentees participating in the programme.
This will also be a great opportunity to learn how the programme can help in the clinical translation of the work done at IBEC and answer any questions you may have about it.

BIST Open Seminar: Roberta Croce
2023-06-12 12:00 - 13:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Natural Strategies for Solar Light Harvesting
Professor of Biophysics, Photosynthesis and Energy at Department of Physics of the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam.
In this presentation I will introduce the fundamental processes of light harvesting in photosynthetic organisms and discuss their remarkable abilities to adapt and acclimate to diverse light conditions. Photosynthetic organisms have evolved sophisticated strategies to capture and utilize solar energy efficiently, allowing them to thrive in various environments. This presentation will delve into the mechanisms by which these organisms optimize their light-harvesting capabilities, including pigment choice, photoprotection, and dynamic responses to changes in light quality and quantity.
The presentation will discuss key aspects of light harvesting, such as the spectral tuning of pigments to match available light wavelengths and the regulation of energy flow to prevent damage caused by excess light. Additionally, the remarkable acclimation abilities of photosynthetic organisms to gradual changes in light intensity will be explored, highlighting their capacity to fine-tune their photosynthetic machinery for optimal performance under varying light conditions.
By examining the natural strategies employed by photosynthetic organisms, this presentation aims to provide insights into the principles of solar light harvesting. Understanding these natural strategies offers valuable lessons for optimizing light-harvesting systems and harnessing solar energy in a sustainable and efficient manner.

Roberta Croce studied chemistry at the University of Padova and completed her Ph.D. in Plant Biology/Biophysics at the University of Milano in 1998. After two postdoc periods in Germany (MPI Mulheim a.d. Rurh) and Italy (University of Verona), she got a permanent position at the Institute of Biophysics of the CNR. In 2006 she moved to the University of Groningen where she became associate professor in 2008. Since 2011 she is Professor of Biophysics, Photosynthesis and Energy at Department of Physics of the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam. Her research focuses on the molecular mechanisms of photosynthesis, using an integrated approach including molecular biology, biochemistry and ultrafast spectroscopy. She published more than 180 scientific articles on the topic of photosynthesis. She is an elected member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) and the Royal Holland Society of Science and Humanity (KHMW). She is also a member of the Board of Reviewing Editors of Science and the Plant Cell, and the recipient of several personal research grants. In 2022 she was elected president of the International Society of Photosynthesis.

IBEC Seminar: Amnon Buxboim
2023-06-19 12:30 - 13:30 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
How does ageing-related stiffening of brain tissue microenvironments affect the regenerative capacity of cns progenitor cells
Professor of biology and bioengineering, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel.
Ageing-related stiffening of neuronal microenvironments in the brain generates potent signals that attenuate the regenerative capacity of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) to proliferate and differentiate. We find that ageing drives substantial remolding of the nuclear lamina in OPCs, in which A-type lamin levels increase and B-type lamin expression decreases. Owing to the ubiquitous role of lamins in anchoring mostly heterochromatic sections at the nuclear envelope known as lamina associated domains (LAD’s), we hypothesized that ageing effects are mediated via altered genomic organization and regulation. In this study, we isolate OPCs from neonate and aged rats and study the effects of ageing-related tissue stiffening by designing and optimizing hydrogel-based matrices that mimic the extracellular elasticity and adhesion signals of neonate and aged microenvironments. Indeed, the differences in cellular morphologies and lamina compositions between neonate and aged cells are recapitulated by matrix elasticity. To characterize differences in the structural organization of the nuclear lamina, we combine high-resolution optical and electron microscopies and perform micropipette aspiration based rheology to define the viscoelastic properties of OPC nuclei within intact cells. LAD mapping is performed using optimized CUT&RUN assays that target endogenous lamin-B1, thus avoiding the effects of ectopic expression of nuclear envelope proteins, which is a prerequisite by standard methodologies. Downstream effects on transcriptional regulation are studied via single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), thus providing insight into cell-to-cell variations. In summary, our work-in-progress highlights the mechanobiological component of ageing on progenitor cells of the CNS that can stimulate potential therapeutic strategies.

Dr. Amnon Buxboim is a professor of biology and bioengineering, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. Trained as a biophysicist, he opened the Buxboim Lab for Mechanobiology in 2013. Dr. Buxboim research aims at understanding how physical and mechanical inputs combine with parallel signaling pathways to direct cell-fate decision-making processes. The Buxboim Lab studies oocyte maturation, preimplantation embryo development, stromal bone marrow immunomodulation, and CNS stem/progenitor cell ageing. Dr. Buxboim also studies mechanisms of nuclear mechanotransduction, as mediated via nuclear lamins and associated nuclear envelope proteins. The Buxboim Lab combines established assays, advanced computational tools, newly designed device-based technologies, and integrates single-cell level genomics with micro-rheological measurements. Based on his research findings, Dr. Buxboim develops assisted reproductive technologies to advance and improve medical care.

IBEC Seminar: Magali Suzanne
2023-06-20 11:30 - 13:30 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Mechanical impact of cell delamination on tissue dynamics, in developmental and tumoral contexts
Centre de Biologie Intégrative, CNRS/UMR 5088, Université Toulouse III, Toulouse, France
How mechanical forces drive morphogenesis is a fundamental question in the field of biomechanics. Combining imaging, genetics, biophysical and modeling approaches, we found that apoptotic cells, far from being eliminated passively, exert a force before dying and thus actively participate in tissue remodeling. This transient force, generated in the depth of the epithelium, constitute a mechanical signal involved in tissue folding. Comparing apoptotic cell dynamics to cells undergoing EMT, we found that a very similar apico-basal force is generated at the onset of EMT.
We further deciphered how these forces are transmitted at the tissue scale through the characterization of a specific mechanical state favoring directional force transmission and developed a new method that offers the opportunity to extract automatically, in strongly deformed epithelia, a precise characterization of the spatial organization of a given cytoskeletal network combined to morphological quantifications in highly remodeled 3D epithelial tissues.
In parallel, we turned to cancer mechanics, focusing particularly in tumor progression. Cancer is a largely widespread pathology that corresponds to an overproliferation of cells that could finally invade others tissues. Tumors develop through three increasingly aggressive steps: (1) hyperplasia, which corresponds to cells overproliferation; (2) dysplasia, during which cells can acquire a more mesenchymal phenotype, and finally (3) metastasis. Tumor development can be influenced by mutations but also by external factors, such as extracellular matrix rigidity. However, a comprehensive understanding of the intrinsic factors driving tumor evolution is still lacking. Our recent unpublished work identifies unexpected factors that could influence tumor development, and more specifically the hyperplasia/dysplasia transition, a critical step in tumor aggressiveness. This work highlights puzzling differences between developmental and tumoral mechanics.

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

IBEC Seminar: Dr. Benjami Oller-Salvia
2023-06-28 12:00 - 13:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Development of chemical and synthetic biology tools to generate biotherapeutics and to tackle brain diseases
Dr. Benjami Oller-Salvia, IQS
In our group we develop chemical and synthetic biology tools to generate biotherapeutics and to tackle brain diseases. In the first part of the talk, I will report our efforts toward developing strategies to construct conditionally-active biotherapeutics that target antigens considered undruggable. In the second part of the talk, I will present our work on peptides for drug delivery across the blood brain barrier. There, I will highlight the recent development of a new family of bicyclic brain shuttles and provide a hint toward new ways of exploring brain transport. .

PhD Discussion: Isabela Fortunato y Marina Martinez
2023-06-30 10:00 - 11:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Cell migration up and down fibronectin gradients
Isabela Fortunato, Integrative cell and tissue dynamics group
The ability of cells to perform directed migration is essential for biological processes, such as tissue morphogenesis, immune function, and cancer invasion. Directed cell migration is often triggered by spatial gradients in the cellular environment (e.g., chemical gradients, called chemotaxis, substrate stiffness gradients, called durotaxis, or substrate-bound ligand gradients, called haptotaxis). Haptotaxis has been described in vivo as an important phenomenon during physiological and pathological conditions. However, the molecular and mechanical processes that drive this form of directed cell migration remain elusive. Moreover, generating accurate and reliable gradients of immobilized protein in vitro has been challenging and makes it harder to study haptotaxis. Here, we explore how cells sense and respond to gradients of immobilized proteins. We used a photopatterning technique to create well-controlled fibronectin gradients and we studied the migration of single mammary epithelial cells (MCF-10A). This approach allowed us to map cell migration velocity, traction forces, and actin cytoskeleton dynamics as a function of fibronectin density. We observed that cells respond to fibronectin gradients by an initial polarization towards higher protein density in the first hours of migration. Surprisingly, after the initial polarization, cells maintained their directionality even if they were submitted to a negative protein gradient. This suggests that cells adapt their polarity features to maintain the preexisting structures and organelles geometry towards low fibronectin regions until a limitation on creating new adhesions. In this work we find that one key adaptation mechanism is driven by the actin flows, specifically the increase in actin polymerization velocity at the leading edge. Besides haptotaxis, we foresee that these results will shed light on other forms of directed cell migration in which cells integrate several internal and external cues to orient themselves in physiological and pathological processes.

Living myocardial slices as a representative in vitro platform for translational cardiovascular disease
Marina Martínez, Biomaterials for Regenerative Therapies group
Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of global mortality, accounting for nearly 45% of all deaths in Europe. Myocardial infarction (MI) is a prevalent condition, where a region of the cardiac muscle undergoes ischemia and up to one billion cardiomyocytes die in just a few hours. The heart has a limited regenerative ability; consequently, cardiomyocytes lost due to MI cannot be replaced. In this scenario, researchers have investigated and developed alternative therapies to promote cardiac repair and regeneration.
Lactate, an important metabolite during cardiogenesis and cardiac development, has been recently described as a potential modulator of the phenotype of cardiac cells in vitro. These findings support a novel use of lactate for endogenous heart regeneration strategies. Nevertheless, effectiveness of ongoing therapeutic approaches is dependent on the level of maturation of cardiac tissue. Hitherto, the regenerative capabilities of lactate in mature cardiac tissue have not been described. In this work, we used living myocardial slices (LMS) as a model of mature cardiac tissue. LMS are 300 μm-thick slices of living myocardium with conserved physiological structure and function. Human and rat adult LMS were treated with lactate to evaluate early cellular, molecular, and functionality changes related to myocardial reprogramming, cardiac structural rearrangements, and fibrosis. Moreover, the effect of lactate was characterized in both healthy and injured adult myocardium.
Functionally, (8 mM) lactate-treated healthy and pathological human LMS displayed an increase in contractility. Expression of fibrotic, pluripotency transcription factors, and cardiomyocyte markers were detected. Exposure of healthy rat LMS to higher concentrations of lactate (20 mM) did not affect LMS viability nor altered LMS contractile force, while promoted LMS stiffening. In cryoinjured rat LMS, lactate drastically increased contractility and altered tissue remodeling in the region bordering the injury.
LMS provide a representative in vitro platform for translational cardiovascular research. By using LMS, characterization of the effect of lactate in mature cardiac tissue has been achieved. Exogenous lactate enhanced cardiac function in both human and injured rat LMS. Upregulation of transcription factors and cardiomyocyte markers may suggest an effect on partial cardiomyocyte reprogramming that would counteract the effects of tissue stiffening. Altogether, this study further supports the prospective use of lactate as a bioactive signal in new endogenous cardiac regeneration strategies.
This PhD Discussion session will be held at Tower I, 11th floor Baobab room, at 10:00am.

IBEC Seminar: Theodore Alexandrov
2023-07-05 10:00 - 11:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Spatial single-cell metabolomics reveals metabolic cell states
EMBL
Recent discoveries put metabolism into the spotlight. Metabolism not only fuels cells but also plays key roles in health and disease. In parallel, emerging single-cell technologies opened a new world of cell types and states previously hidden beneath population averages. Yet, methods for discovering links between metabolism, cell states, metabolic plasticity and reprogramming on the single-cell level and in situ are crucially lacking. Our research aims to contribute bridging this gap. First, we will present how the emerging technology of imaging mass spectrometry can be used for the spatial profiling of metabolites, lipids, and drugs in tissues. These efforts are enabled by our big data community cloud platform METASPACE which is increasingly used across the world. Next, we will present method SpaceM for spatial single-cell metabolomics. SpaceM detects 100+ metabolites or 500+ lipids from thousands of individual cells together with fluorescence and morpho-spatial features. We used SpaceM to characterize how stimulating human hepatocytes with fatty acids led to the emergence of two co-existing subpopulations outlined by distinct cellular metabolic states. Inducing inflammation with the cytokine IL-17A perturbs the balance of these states in a process dependent on NF-κB signalling. We will show how a high-throughput version of the SpaceM method helps discover and characterize metabolic states of activated CD4+ T cells from peripheral human blood. Finally, we will present how spatial multi-omics can reveal the relationships between cell types and cell states in tissues. Overall, such methods can open novel avenues for understanding metabolism in tissues and cell cultures on the single-cell level.

IBEC Seminar: Loris Rizzello
2023-07-12 12:00 - 13:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Towards an evolutionary-driven universal therapy against (intracellular) pathogens
Università degli Studi di Milano
We are living a time where we believe antibiotics are the cornerstone of any infectious disease-based therapy. It is definitely out of question that antibiotics saved millions of people worldwide in the last century, and that they are still doing it very efficiently. Nevertheless, their extensive abuse, especially for zoonic applications, contributed to the rise of antibiotic resistance (AMR). AMR is one of the biggest threats in the current human history because it is estimated that the majority of the antibiotics, currently used in the clinics, will be completely ineffective for the eradication of infectious disease. This has been defined as “The New Dark Ages of Antibiotics”, which is expected to start in the next decades if no actions will be taken now. There are several causes behind AMR, but one of the most relevant is the exposure of bacteria to sub-lethal doses of the antimicrobials. One of the big aim of our research efforts is to design of a new generation of therapy that counteract this issue. It is inspired on solutions already provided by Nature, and it is based on the strategy exploited by a specific class of viruses that infect and kill bacteria only, called as bacteriophages, which are completely safe and unharmful to humans. The development of a new therapy possessing the requirements to avoid the rise in AMR represents a new legacy for the future generation in terms of anitibacterial therapies, exaclty in the same way antibiotics changed the human history in the 20th century.

IBEC Seminar: Zev Gartner
2023-07-12 15:00 - 17:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Building tissues to understand how tissues build themselves
Zev Gartner, UCSF
Cells assemble into tissues and organs through an active process termed self-organization. Harnessing tissue self-organization will ultimately advance applications as diverse as disease modeling and regenerative medicine, while revealing new strategies for fighting disease. However, progress towards these applications is limited by our incomplete understanding of how the properties of tissues emerge from their cellular building blocks. I will discuss two recent projects that aim to address this knowledge gap. In a first project, we use human mammary organoids to make the remarkable observation that tissues can behave as dynamic structural ensembles. We model the ensemble using a maximum entropy framework, and demonstrate the probability distribution of tissue structures is a function of the entropy associated with cell arrangements, the energy associated with cell interfaces, and mechanical fluctuations associated with cell motility. We map these parameters back to measurable molecular and mechanical properties of cells and their microenvironment, allowing us to engineer the structural ensemble quantitatively and systematically. In a second project we use the morphogenesis of mouse intestinal villi to reveal that tuning the geometry and active mechanics of the epithelial/mesenchymal interface is sufficient to sculpt a diversity of tissue forms. In the gut, MMP and Myosin-II dependent fluidization of a contractile and adhesive sub-epithelial mesenchyme results in a dynamic monolayer of cells with a high surface tension. Minimization of surface energy results in a process we call “mesenchymal de-wetting,” which results in the formation of an array of multicellular condensates that act to pattern and fold the overlying epithelium. Manipulating the properties of the cells or the interface results in predictable changes to the pattern and shape of the folds. These studies have some important implications for tissue engineering, disease progression, and our understanding of tissue self-organization in other contexts.

IBEC-IFIBYNE Webinar Cycle (online) 12th July 2023 at 16:00 Javier Ramon
2023-07-12 16:00 - 17:00
Organ on a chip models to emulate multi systemic metabolic diseases
Javier Ramon, IBEC
Existing on-chip tissue models typically represent a single organ, limiting systemic drug investigations. Microscale tissue analog systems aim to improve drug and toxicity predictions across various organs. However, multi-organ devices are limited, and none have explored skeletal muscle and pancreatic islets. We developed a novel multi-organ-on-a-chip platform for real-time, sensitive monitoring of cross-talk between two organs. Unlike previous electrochemical platforms, our sensing system offers cost-effectiveness, label-free detection, easy integration, multiplexing, and real-time monitoring. This platform quantifies secreted proteins with high sensitivity, crucial for understanding the relationship between skeletal muscle and the pancreas. Our work shows promise for disease modeling, drug screening, and personalized medicine.

Doctor Javier Ramon is an ICREA Professor since 2021 and the leader of the Biosensors for Bioengineering group at the Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia. Javier studied Chemistry at the University of Catalonia and completed his PhD at the CSIC in the Institute of Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia. He conducted his postdoctoral research in Japan at the Advanced Institute of Materials and returned to Spain in 2016 as a Ramon y Cajal researcher. His research is focused on tissue engineering, biomaterials, biosensors, and integrating these technologies into organ-on-chip devices to study diseases and drug screening.

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)

IBEC Seminar: Dan Vigneron
2023-07-18 10:00 - 11:30 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Translation and Initial Patient and Volunteer Studies with Hyperpolarized Carbon-13 MR Molecular Imaging
Dan Vigneron, Department of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco
“Hyperpolarized (HP) carbon-13 MRI is an emerging molecular imaging method to monitor enzymatic conversions through key, previously-inaccessible biochemical pathways. Over 1000 human HP carbon-13 MR studies to date have shown outstanding research and potential clinical value. Just as MRI has shown value for medical imaging providing information beyond CT/X-ray, HP C-13 MRI can provide new isotope imaging biomarker information in addition to what PET & SPECT do. HP C13 MRI is safe, ~2min, non-radioactive addition to standard-of-care MRI exams, at costs less than separate PET exam. At the UCSF Hyperpolarized MRI Technology Resource Center, we are developing new techniques for rapid dynamic acquisitions to measure HP conversion rates for [1-13C]pyruvate to [1-13C]lactate, [1-13C]alanine and 13C-bicarbonate in the abdomen, pelvis, heart and brain to monitor cellular metabolism in normal tissues and pathologies. We are conducting over 15 clinical trials of HP C-13 MRI and have translated 4 different HP probes into first human studies: [1-13C]pyruvate, [2-13C]pyruvate, [1-13C]alpha-ketoglutarate, and 13C-urea. Initial results demonstrate the ability to detect cancer aggressiveness, response to therapy, cardiac disease and brain bioenergetics.

Dr. Daniel B. Vigneron Ph.D. is a Professor in the Department of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging and at the University of California, San Francisco. He also has joint appointments in the Departments of Bioengineering & Therapeutic Sciences and Neurological Surgery at UCSF and is a member of the UCB/UCSF Bioengineering graduate group. He directs the UCSF Human Imaging Core and the Advanced Imaging Technologies Resource Group that facilitates imaging technique development in the Department of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging including: Hyperpolarized Carbon-13, PET-MR, and 7T MR. He also is the Director of the NIH NIBIB-funded Hyperpolarized C-13 MRI Technology Resource Center at UCSF that was recently renewed till 2027 with 20 external collaborative and service projects. This UCSF Hyperpolarized MRI Technology Resource Center also sponsors numerous training and education opportunities including symposia/workshops focused on the development and dissemination of new HP-MRI techniques. Dr. Vigneron was elected Fellow of the International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine in 2009 and to the College of Fellows of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering in 2007. He received the Academy of Radiology Research Distinguished Investigator Award in 2013 and with colleagues was awarded the Gold Medal of the World Molecular Imaging Society in 2014.
Dr. Vigneron obtained his BA in Chemistry from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut in 1983, and he completed his PhD research in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from UCSF in 1988 and then conducted post-doctoral research at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia and at UCSF developing new MRI techniques for characterizing disease and therapy response. Prof. Vigneron’s research is focused on the development of metabolic MRI techniques for research and clinical assessments of human diseases. This research has been reported in over 350 total publications resulting in over 39,000 citations with an h-index of 109 and an i10-index of 339 and has been funded by 25 NIH grant awards including as PI: 3 P41, 1 P01 2 U01, 18 R01 and 1 S10 grant awards. Also, he has served as the Primary Mentor on 6 NIH career mentored awards. Dr. Vigneron leads the technical development aspects of the hyperpolarized carbon-13 MR program at UCSF and is the Principal Investigator of seven current NIH funded projects focused on new HP metabolic MRI techniques applied to clinical research studies of prostate cancer, metastatic cancers, brain disorders and CNS tumors.

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.

IBEC Seminar: MDr Joanna Sierpowska
2023-07-26 12:00 - 13:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Awake brain surgery mapping – a way to mitigate postsurgical impairments and a door to understanding human cognition
MDr Joanna Sierpowska from the Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona
Brain mapping for language and cognition during awake brain surgeries helps neurosurgeons to mitigate postsurgical impairments. At the same time, it uncovers the truth about brain functional organization. While the cortical procedures are very well studied and widely implemented since the ’50 of the XX century confirming the classical models of language production, the work on mapping the white matter pathways has developed very recently. The dual pathway model for language introduces the importance of the perisylvian white matter in the processing of speech sounds and word meaning. In the present talk, I will explain if the model was successfully confirmed by intraoperative language testing. Furthermore, I will explain how we assess language function associated with the model perioperatively in a large sample of brain tumor patients.

IBEC Seminar: Matthias Schulze
2023-07-26 15:00 - 17:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Highlights of 20 years DNP with Merck as partner
Matthias Schulze, Merck
Introduction of Merck’s capabilities to supply specifically labeled tracers in different grades.
Describing the milestones of DNP towards establishing that method as a powerful tool in cancer diagnostics. Outlining the challenges and the scope on projects utilizing 13 C labeled reagents.

Matthias Schulze studied chemistry at the TU Berlin and gained his PhD in 1991 for research in natural product synthesis. Subsequent stays at various sites abroad (Norman, Oklahoma and Columbus, Ohio) extended his expertise in analytical and synthetical techniques. Later, he worked as a group leader at the University Bonn on mechanistic questions in metal-organic chemistry and new ways to access cyclic natural products. He has 20 years of experience in stable isotopes and its applications in a corporate environment. His current role is that of a technology manager for stable isotopes in EMEA. Ever since he worked with numerous researchers to support them in a broad range of fields, focusing on biochemical and medicinal topics

IBEC Seminar: Virgil Percec
2023-09-05 10:00 - 12:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Reprogramming the Factory of Life to Target the Delivery of mRNA via Helical Chirality
Virgil Percec, Roy & Diana Vagelos Laboratories, Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
Homochiral helical self-organizations are known at the macroscopic level in nature, art, architecture and science for thousands of years [1a,b]. However, molecular helicity was discovered in proteins and DNA [2] only in the early 1950th and in molecular, macromolecular and supramolecular complex nanosystems emerged soon after [1c,d,e,f]. Our ability to program functions at the supramolecular level based on helical chirality is less advanced than the same process at the macroscopic level during Archimedes and Leonardo da Vinci times. The principles “discover-elucidate mechanism-predict programmed primary structure” elaborated in our laboratory and aided by synthetic methodologies developed also in our laboratory for accelerated modular-orthogonal synthesis of programmed structures such us Ni-catalyzed cross-coupling, mixed-ligand, thio-bromo click, SET-organic and polymerizarion reactions, self-accelerated and self-interrupted synthesis including selected examples of homochiral helical self-organizations and functions together with the molecular factory of life will be briefly explained. The origins of helical homochirality is equivalent to the origins of life although the origins and the rational of biological membranes homochirality continues to be debated [3]. Inspiration from amphiphilic Janus dendrimers [4a] and Janus glycodendrimers [4b] discovered in our laboratory allowed to transit from the commercial viral and four-component lipid nanoparticle synthetic vectors for delivery of mRNA to the one-component ionizable multifunctional sequence-defined amphiphilic Janus dendrimers (IAJDs) delivery vector [5]. The current status of the molecular design principles providing the least expensive and the simplest access to targeted delivery of mRNA with programmed IAJDs will be discussed in great details. Targeted delivery of mRNA to all organs is expected to change the field of nanomedicine at the most fundamental level by providing unprecedented avenues to new vaccines and therapeutics.
References

(a) Percec, V.; Xiao, Q. Bull. Chem. Soc. Jpn. 2021, 94, 900-928. (b) Percec, V.; Adamson, J.; Gianti, E. Supramolecular Nanotechnology, Wiley-VCH, 2023, Azzaroni, O.; Conda-Sheridan, M. Eds. Vol.1, p. 1-123. (c) Percec, V. Lab. Science 1997, 278, 449-452. (d) Nature 1998, 391,161-164. (e) Nature 2002, 419, 384-387. (f) Nature 2004, 430, 764-768.
(a) Pauling, L.; Corey, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1950, 72, 5349-5349; (b) Watson, J. D.; Crick, F.H.C. Nature 1953, 171, 737-738; (c) Percec, V.; Xiao, Q. CHEM 2021, 7, 529-536; (d) Percec, V. CHEM 2023, August issue.
Percec, V. Lab. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2023, 145, 4311-4323.
(a) Percec, V. Lab. Science, 2010, 328, 1009-1014; (b) Percec, V. Lab. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2013, 135, 9055-9077.
(a) Percec, V. and Weissman D. Labs. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2021, 143, 12315-12325; (b) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2021, 143, 18803-12325; (c) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2022, 144, 4746-4753; (d) Pharmaceutics 2023, 15, 1572; (e) J. Am. Chem. Soc. Submitted.

Virgil Percec was born and educated in Romania (BS in Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry at the Polytechnic University in Iasi, PhD in 1976 with C. I. Simionescu. In 1981 he defected his native country and after short postdoctoral stays at the University of Freiburg in Germany (July 1981 with H. -J. Cantow) and University of Akron, US (August 1981 to March 1982 with J. P. Kennedy) he joined the Department of Macromolecular Science of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, US in March 1982 as an Assistant Professor. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 1984 and to Professor in 1986. In 1993 he was awarded the Leonard Case Jr. Chair at Case Western Reserve University and in 1999 he was invited and moved to the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia as P. Roy Vagelos Chair and Professor of Chemistry. He has been repeatedly a Visiting Professor at the Universities of Freiburg, Ulm and at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Mainz (all in Germany) and at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. His research interest is at the interface between organic, supramolecular, macromolecular chemistries, liquid crystals, nanoscience and biology where he contributed over 820 refereed publications, 80 patents, edited 20 books and presented over 1300 endowed, invited and plenary lectures. He educated over 3509 students and postdocs over 70 of them being in university professors all over the world.

IBEC Seminar: Dr. Andy Tay
2023-09-15 10:00 - 11:30 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Biomaterials for cancer study and accelerate wound healing
Dr. Andy Tay , Assistant Professor, Presidential Young Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering
Magnetic hydrogels are materials containing magnetic microparticles which help transduce magnetic fields into mechanical forces. In the presence of a static magnet, the stiffness of magnetic hydrogels can be altered to investigate the reversible effects of matrix softening and stiffening on cellular behaviours. Here, I will describe how we exploit this unique feature of our material for cancer study.
The World Health Organization estimates that 10% of the world’s population suffers from diabetes, and diabetic patients has a 15-25% lifetime risk of getting diabetic foot ulcers. Every 20s, there is a lower extremity amputation worldwide. In the second half of my talk, I will describe the use of magnetic hydrogel for mechanical stimulation of cells to synergistically accelerate diabetic wound healing.

Andy Tay graduated in 2014 from NUS with a First-Class Honours in Biomedical Engineering. He later headed to the University of California, Los Angeles for his PhD studies and graduated in 2017 as the recipient of the Harry M Showman Commencement Award. Andy next received his postdoctoral training at Stanford University before heading to Imperial College London as an 1851 Royal Commission Brunel Research Fellow. He is currently a Presidential Young Professor in NUS.
Andy is a recipient of international awards including the Interstellar Initiative Early-Career Faculty Award, Christopher Hewitt Outstanding Young Investigator Award, Terasaki Young Innovator Award. He is listed as a 2019 Forbes 30 Under 30 (US/Canada, Science), 2020 World Economic Forum Young Scientist, 2020 The Straits Times ‘30 and Under’ Young Singaporeans to Watch and 2022 Top 2% Scientist in the World by Stanford University.

The Future Now: Emerging Leaders in Biomedicine
2023-09-21 08:00 - 17:00 | Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute
We are delighted to announce the first edition of the symposium “The Future Now: Emerging Leaders in Biomedicine“. This event is specifically tailored for advanced postdoctoral researchers and junior Group Leaders who are at the forefront of the vibrant biomedical community of the Barcelona area. Join us at the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC) on September 21, 2023. This Symposium is co-organized by the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), the Vall d’Hebrón Institute of Oncology (VHIO), the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC),the Institute of Molecular Biology of Barcelona (IBMB), the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) and the University Pompeu Fabra, Department of Medicine and Life Science.

This symposium will be a unique opportunity for emerging leaders in biomedicine of the region to network, showcase their cutting-edge research, and foster collaborations. By participating in this event, early-career researchers will gain visibility, build valuable connections, and contribute to strengthening the local scientific ecosystem.

The program features a rich scientific agenda encompassing diverse disciplines within biomedicine, with oral presentations from distinguished young researchers covering basic and translational research, as well as cutting edge technologies. We will hold an engaging round table discussion focused on the relevant challenges faced by researchers at different stages of becoming independent investigators. Please find the program of the Symposium here.
The Emerging Leaders Symposium receives the support of Miltenyi Biotec, Macrogen, BGI Genomics, Bonsai Lab & Labclinics.

REGISTRATION:

We extend a warm invitation to all postdoctoral researchers and junior Group Leaders in the Barcelona area to join us at the “Emerging Leaders in Biomedicine” symposium.

All participants of the event need to register via the following link: https://forms.office.com/e/LfGzP4tMJT
Registration is free.
Deadline for registration is September 8, 2023.

By coming together, we can shape the future of biomedicine, establish enduring connections, and contribute to the advancement of science in our local community and beyond.

EMERGING LEADERS BOOK

Attendees will have the opportunity to present their research interests through virtual short presentations in the “Emerging Leaders Book”, fostering in-depth discussions and providing constructive feedback during the networking session and beyond. It’s an excellent opportunity for participants to refine their research ideas and expand their scientific horizons.

All participants wishing to appear in the “Emerging Leaders Book” must send their information via the following link before September 8, 2023: https://forms.office.com/e/pWPrj1rhK6

IBEC Seminar: Mariano Vázquez
2023-09-27 12:00 - 13:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Supercomputer-based virtual humans: the future of medicine NOW
Mariano Vázquez, ELEM Biotech & Barcelona Supercomputing Center
In this talk we are going to address the potential of supercomputer-based virtual humans for the biomedical realm. Virtual Humans are computational “avatars” of a patient, which combines data with a mathematical model which are used to predict (as opposed to measure with experiments) some quantities of interest, under a context of use and used to support medical decisions. We will show examples of Populations of Virtual Humans used as cohorts for in-silico clinical trials to optimize drug or devise-based therapies.
Our examples are mostly of the cardiovascular and respiratory domains.

IBEC Seminar: New technologies for accelerating drug discovery and preclinical testing
2023-09-29 10:00 - 11:30 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
New technologies for accelerating drug discovery and preclinical testing
Maria Majellaro, Chief Scientific Officer of Celtarys.
Abi J Vazquez. Co-founder and COO of DIVERSA Technologies SL.
Bruno K Rodiño-Janeiro, Chief Scientific Officer of BFlow.

Celtarys, DIVERSA and BFlow belong to the Galician biotechnology ecosystem and are dedicated to provide cutting-edge technologies applied in different and complementary phases of preclinical drug screening, accelerating the drug development process and reducing the time to market of new therapies.
The three companies emerge from technologies developed at public research centers and transferred to the market after participation in validation programs. The speakers will explain their experiences in the process of going from an idea in the laboratory to the final technology transfer as spin-off companies.
Celtarys is a spin-off of the University of Santiago de Compostela, focused on the development of innovative fluorescent tools to improve the efficiency of the drug discovery process. In addition to its fluorescent ligand portfolio, Celtarys specializes in customized fluorescent ligands for target-based drug discovery, utilizing its proprietary conjugation technology. This unique approach allows to quickly design and develop libraries of different tailor-made fluorescent ligands with their own linkers covering wide chemical architectures for any target of interest.
DIVERSA is a spin-off from the Santiago de Compostela Health Research Institute (IDIS) and the Galician Health Service (SERGAS), devoted to drive the translation of new therapeutic molecules to the clinic through the application of patented safe-by-design lipid nanoemulsions that can efficiently improve the delivery of drugs and biomolecules (RNAs, proteins and peptides ) to their target, and thus efficacy. DIVERSA commercialize ready-to-use reagents, and also provides customized services for the development of tailored and unique formulations that can accomplish all requirements for a specific molecule, indication, and route of administration. We also conduct comprehensive R&D activities to advance our own nanomedicines towards the clinic, answering to current unmet clinical needs.

BFlow is a spin-off from the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC) and the Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), which offers advanced Organ-on-a-chip models to improve the physiological relevance of cell cultures. BFlow products are designed to cover the urgent need to improve the data in both research laboratories and the pharmaceutical industry. Regarding the latter, Organ-on-a-chip models will have a relevant role reducing the cost, time and use of experimental animal models in the preclinical drug screening process, accelerating the discovery of new drugs.

The seminar will consist of 15 minute talks from each company with 15 minutes of questions and answers.

IBEC Seminar: Simone Reber
2023-10-02 12:00 - 13:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Conserved nucleocytoplasmic density homeostasis drives cellular organization across eukaryotes
Simone Reber, Max Planck Institut for Infection Biology, Berlin (invited by Pere Roca-Cusachs)
The packing and confinement of macromolecules in the cytoplasm and nucleoplasm has profound implications for cellular biochemistry. How intracellular density distributions vary and affect cellular physiology remains largely unknown. We show that the nucleus is less dense than the cytoplasm and that living systems establish and maintain a constant density ratio between these compartments. Using label-free biophotonics and theory, we show that nuclear density is set by a pressure balance across the nuclear envelope in vitro, in vivo and during early development. Nuclear transport establishes a specific nuclear proteome that exerts a colloid osmotic pressure, which, assisted by entropic chromatin pressure, draws water into the nucleus. Using C. elegans, we show that while nuclear-to-cytoplasmic (N/C) volume ratios change during early development, the N/C density ratio is robustly maintained. We propose that the maintenance of a constant N/C density ratio is the biophysical driver of one of the oldest tenets of cell biology: the N/C volume ratio. In summary, this study reveals a previously unidentified homeostatic coupling of macromolecular densities that drives cellular organization.

16th IBEC SYMPOSIUM
2023-10-03 09:00 - 18:30 | AXA Auditorium, L'illa Diagonal, Av. Diagonal 547 , Barcelona, 08029
BIOENGINEERING FOR FUTURE AND PRECISION MEDICINE

October 3rd · Auditori Axa, Barcelona
The 16th IBEC annual Symposium brings together high-profile international experts for an open forum for interdisciplinary discussions and networking. This year the symposium is dedicated to Bioengineering for Future and Precision Medicine, one of IBEC’s three major application areas.
Scientific community is invited to participate. Attendees from IBEC and abroad are welcome to present their research or projects in poster format. Moreover, some of these contributions will be selected by the scientific committee for an oral flash presentation.
Registration here.

Workshop “Bioaction: The new tissue engineering approaches in bone infections"
2023-10-10 14:30 - 16:30 | 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.
