IBEC Seminar: Al Jord
2024-01-19 10:00 - 11:00 (Europe/Madrid) | 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.

IBEC Seminar: Agathe Chaigne
2024-03-08 10:00 - 11:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Molecular and mechanical regulation of abscission in stem cells
Agathe Chaigne, PhD., Group leader. Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics department, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
Abscission is the last step of cell division leading to the complete separation of the two sister cells and consists in the cutting of a cytoplasmic bridge. Abscission is mediated by the membrane remodelling machinery ESCRT which also triggers the severing of a thick bundle of microtubules that needs to be cleared prior to abscission. Here, we use mouse embryonic stem cells, which transition from slow to fast abscission during exit from naïve pluripotency to investigate the molecular mechanism for abscission dynamics. We identify a feedback loop between the activity of Aurora B, mechanics, and microtubule stability as a main regulator of abscission speed.

ICMS-IBEC Symposium
2024-03-14 09:00 - 17:00 | Online
Dear all,

It is our pleasure to invite you to the ICMS-IBEC symposium on 14 March from 13.00 – 17.00 (Ceres 0.31, coffee starts at 12.45). Colleagues from both IBEC and ICMS will pitch their research domains with the intent to get better acquainted with each other’s science. We have fostered a successful collaboration for more than 4 years and we hope that this event will stimulate additional bottom-up connections between researchers from both organizations.
You can find the full programme here.
You can join the symposium online (no need to register), by using this link.

IBEC Seminar: Emilio Parisini
2024-03-22 12:00 - 13:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Engineering enzymes for biomedical and biotechnological applications
Emilio Parisini, Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis (Riga, Latvia), University of Bologna (Italy)
Enzyme engineering has the potential to improve the activity, the stability and the substrate recognition of enzymes. As such, it paves the way for the design of novel enzymes with improved performances for a wide range of applications. This rational approach can accelerate the production and the use of biocatalysts in different biotechnological sectors, thus in turn allowing the improvement of chemical processes through the application of green chemistry concepts. In this talk, two examples from our current research will be discussed:
Fructosyl Peptide Oxidases (FPOX) are deglycating enzymes that find application as key enzymatic components in diabetes monitoring devices. Indeed, their use with blood samples can provide a measurement of the concentration of glycated hemoglobin and glycated albumin, two well-known diabetes markers. However, the FPOX currently employed in enzymatic assays cannot directly detect whole glycated proteins, making it necessary to perform a preliminary proteolytic treatment of the target protein to generate small glycated peptides that can act as viable substrates for the enzyme. This is a costly and time consuming step. The rapidly growing demand for cheap, efficient and rapid diabetes monitoring tests could be met by developing enzymatic assays for glycated hemoglobin and albumin that do not require a preliminary digestion of the proteins. In our lab, we used an in silico protein engineering approach to enhance the overall thermal stability of the enzyme and widen it active site to improve its catalytic activity toward large substrates.
The fast and uncontrolled accumulation of plastic waste in the environment has long begun to impact on the natural ecosystems and to pose an existential threat to all forms of life on our planet. Advanced technical solutions to the plastic waste management problem are therefore in urgent demand. To this end, enzymatic approaches to plastic degradation hold great promises as novel and more efficient enzymes are constantly being developed. Leaf-branch Compost Cutinase (LCC), a naturally occurring PETase, has been reported to outperform all other known PET-degrading enzymes and to present a melting temperature (Tm) of 84.7°C. This enzyme has been noticeably engineered in 2020, leading to the so-called ICCG variant (Tm = 94.0°C), the current gold standard. In our lab, we engineered a LCC that features significantly enhanced PETase activity and thermal stability relative to the gold standard ICCG.

PhD discussions: Gülsun Bagci and Joana Admella
2024-04-05 10:00 - 11:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Cell-Derived Extracellular Matrices for 3D in vitro Tumor Models
Gülsun Bagci, Biomaterials for Regenerative Therapies Group
Decellularized Extracellular matrices are new scaffolds for bioengineering of 3D tumor-ECM in vitro models. The tunable composition, properties, and structure of Cell-derived Matrices (CDMs) make them versatile and easy to use by using desired cell types. Moreover, deposition of ECM can be achieved by adding specific stimulants such as Macromolecular crowding (MMC) like Ficoll/dextran sulfate or treating with hypoxia/starvation. Our aim is to fabricate CDM by two strategies as 2D culture CDMs from human dermal fibroblasts (hDFs) or 3D culture CDM from bone marrow human mesenchymal stem cells (BM-hMSCs)/Human Adipose-derived stem cells (hAMSCs) in the presence of MMC/Ascorbic acid/ TGFβ-1 on Poly Lactic acid (PLA) derived microparticles (MPs) to generate 3D and 2D culture CDMs, which can be used as scaffold for reseeding cancer cells or used as bioinks to generate tumor models for cancer research and for testing anti-cancer drugs.
In this study, we generated 2D culture CDM from hDFs and 3D culture CDMs of BM-hMSCs and hAMSCs. To prepare 2D CDMs, hDF were treated with Ascorbic acid (AA) or Ficoll, AA, TGFβ-1 combination for 2-weeks to increase the deposition of CDM. To fabricate 3D culture CDM, cells were cultured into PLA MPs. MPs were produced by jet break-up method, and their size distribution was calculated by ImageJ whereas their porosity was imaged under SEM. Moreover, MPs were functionalized with fibronectin to enhance the cell adhesion. hMSCs/hAMSCs were seeded on MPs in a spinner flask for 8 hours. Then, cell-seeded MPs were cultured for 2 weeks to produce CDM. The cellular viability and cell seeding in the MPs were evaluated. The ECM production before and after decellularization was evaluated by BCA, hydroxyproline, SEM, qRT-PCR, and immunofluorescence. Values were normalized by the total DNA. Microtissues and cells on 2D culture were also decellularized with 50mM NH4OH, 0.05% TritonX-100 solution and characterized.
Based on our results, for hDF cells; Ficoll, TGFβ-1 and Ascorbic acid combination, and also ascorbic acid alone treatments increased total protein and total collagen production. For BM-hMSCs, total collagen and protein after 2-weeks incubation was increased significantly in the presence of Ascorbic acid condition on the fibronectin coated MPs. AA increased total protein and total collagen production for hAMSCs at 3D culture.
CDMs are promising and tunable biomaterials to establish 3D in vitro tumor models for cancer research. This platform possess a powerful potential for testing anti-cancer drugs for personalized medicine in the coming years.

Exploring the potential of Galleria mellonella for the study of bacterial infections
Joana Admella, Bacterial Infections: Antimicrobial Therapies Group
Bacterial infections are becoming more threatening every day. Pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Mycobacterium abscessus, or Burkholderia cenocepacia pose significant challenges due to antimicrobial resistance. Our group has extensive experience in studying pathogenic microorganisms, with a focus on understanding bacterial virulence and biofilm formation.
The insect Galleria mellonella is an alternative animal model widely used for studying bacterial infections and evaluating the toxicity of various molecules and materials. It presents a wide range of advantages, including low cost, easy maintenance, and lack of ethical constraints. Furthermore, very precise doses can be injected, facilitating the testing of diverse treatments like antibiotics, nanomedicines, or even bacteriophages. Notably, their innate immune system closely resembles that of mammals, encompassing both cellular and humoral defenses. These features make Galleria mellonella a very valuable model for investigating host-pathogen interactions, infection dissemination, and immune response. Here, we present an overview of this animal model, showing a variety of methodologies and applications that have enhanced our understanding of bacterial infections and expanded our knowledge of this insect.

IBEC Seminar: Kevin Braeckmans
2024-04-12 10:00 - 11:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Delivering effector molecules in cells in vitro and ex vivo by photoporation.
Kevin Braeckmans, Biophotonics Research Group, Lab. General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Ghent University, Belgium
Delivery of bioactive compounds, such as proteins and nucleic acids, into cells in vitro or ex vivo is a generic requirement for many applications in the life sciences, such as for the engineering of therapeutic cells. Physical delivery methods are attractive in this context as they are well-controlled, and can accommodate a broad variety of effector molecules and cell types. Photoporation is such a recently developed physical delivery technology which combines laser stimulation with photothermal nanoparticles. Localized thermal effects upon laser irradiation can create pores in the cell membrane, allowing the influx of external molecules in cells. Importantly, photoporation is very gentle to cells, resulting in excellent cell viability and preservation of a cell’s phenotype and functionality. In this presentation I will give an overview of the most notable work that we performed on photoporation as a next-generation transfection technology in the past decade.

Kevin Braeckmans first studied physics before doing his doctoral studies in pharmaceutical sciences at Ghent University in Belgium. From early on he was passionate about developing biophotonics technologies for drug delivery and diagnostics. In 2008 he was appointed professor at Ghent University as the group leader of the Bio-Photonics Research Group. In 2015 he received a prestigious ERC Consolidator Grant and became full professor in 2018. His research presently focuses on studying biological barriers to nanomedicines by advanced microscopy techniques, and combining light with nanoparticles to enable light-triggered drug delivery and related therapeutic applications. He is a co-author of >250 publications, Clarivate Highly Cited Author in 2022 and 2023, and co-inventor of 17 patent applications. Presently he is a co-founder and CSO/CTO of the spin-off company Trince.

BMBC meeting
2024-04-12 15:00 - 17:00 | PRBB (Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona), Marie Curie Room (PRBB inner square)
Please mark your calendars! The next BMBC meeting will be held on Friday 12th of April 2024, from 3-6pm at PRBB, Marie Curie Room.

For this edition we will have an external speaker, Michael Healy from Queensland University, Australia. Michael is a postdoc in the group of Brett Collins, and he has recently published the structure of the whole Commander complex, involved in endosomal recycling to the plasma membrane (Healy et al., Cell, 2023). We’re sure his talk will be highly interesting for the whole community and we strongly count on your participation.
We further thank Albert Pol who invited Michael and Oriol Gallego who is hosting him at PRBB for the help in coordinating Michael’s talk with our BMBC event.

Here is a preliminary program

15h – 15h45 Michael Healy (Brett Collins group, Queensland University)
Unravelling the Molecular Architecture of the Commander Complex.
15h45 – 16h15 Jessica Angulo-Capel (Felix Campelo lab, ICFO)
Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Protein Export at the Golgi Apparatus Resolved by Single Particle Tracking
16h15-16h45 —– Coffee Break ——
16h45-17h15 Albert Herms (Albert Pol group, IDIBAPS-UB)
Epithelioids: Self-sustaining 3D epithelial cultures to study long-term cellular processes
17h15-17h45 Laura Ferigle (Raúl Estévez group, IDIBELL-UB)
Insights into MLC pathophysiology by biochemical and structural studies

More details will follow soon. Feel free to visit our website and advertise it to your colleague, they can read the program there and subscribe to the googlegroup.
BMBC | bmbc (felixcampelo.wixsite.com)

Looking forward to see many of you there!

La ricerca Italiana a Barcellona
2024-04-15 18:00 - 19:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Parc Científic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
“La ricerca italiana a Barcellona – Nuovi metodi per comprendere le malattie neurodegenerative.”
The Consulate General of Italy will present Dr. Benedetta Bolognesi with the “Cavaliere dell’ordine della Stella” medal in recognition of her career.
In addition, Dr Benedetta Bolognesi, Group Leader of Protein Phase Transitions in Health and Disease
, Prof. Josep Samitier, Director of IBEC and Prof. Giuseppe Battaglia, group leader of Molecular Bionics group will discuss Italian research: new methods to fight neurodegenerative diseases.
This event will be mainly in Italian.
Information here.

HeLa et al.
2024-04-19 16:30 - 18:30 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Parc Científic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
HeLa et al.

A video essay by TESS MARSCHNER

Barcelona, 2024, 12:00 min (ENG) Technical Support: Julio César Palacio

Inaugural event:
Friday, April 19th at 4:30PM
Parc Científic de Barcelona · Carrer Baldiri Reixac, 4-8, Dolors Aleu room

“HeLa et al.” is the result of the creative process carried out by visual artist Tess Marschner during her artistic residency at the Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC).
In her predominantly videographic and research-based works, she delves into the impact of scientific and theoretical knowledge on social dynamics. Her exploration focuses on feminist subjects, non-human entities and animal actors.
The video essay titled “HeLa et al.” serves as a contemplation on female and reproductive (parts of) bodies within techno-sciences: Henrietta Lacks’ immortal cell line, the cloned sheep Dolly, wombs, eggs and mice show up both as technical components of the scientific realm as well as entities that challenge the notion of the human, raising ethical considerations.
“HeLa et al.” was developed during her Artistic Residency at IBEC 2023/24.

EVENT AGENDA: 4:30PM-6:30PM

Welcome by Teresa Sanchis · Head of Strategy at IBEC.
Introduction by Tess Marschner, Artist in Residence at IBEC.
Video Screening.
Panel discussion & Q&A.
Video Screening.
Toast and final words by Josep Samitier, Director of IBEC.

Register here.

3rd edition EMBL-IBEC Conference ENGINEERING MULTICELLULAR SYSTEMS
2024-04-24 09:00 - 2024-04-26 15:00 | Barcelona Biomedical Research Park (PRBB), Dr. Aiguader 88 , Barcelona, 08003
3rd edition EMBL – IBEC Conference

ENGINEERING MULTICELLULAR SYSTEMS

EMBL and IBEC aim to contribute to the discussion on challenges and opportunities in the expanding field of engineered multicellular systems.
Recent breakthroughs in stem cell biology, organ-on-chip assays, 3-D bioprinting, and cell mechanobiology have revolutionized our ability to design and assemble multicellular living systems, from organoids to embryos.
This biennial series will focus on how engineering multicellular living systems is boosting our understanding of tissue and organ function, with applications in disease modelling, drug screening, and tissue engineering.
#EMBL_IBECConf
EMBL-IBEC Conference – ENGINEERING MULTICELLULAR SYSTEMS (ibecbarcelona.eu)

IBEC Seminar: Ovijit Chaudhuri
2024-05-03 10:00 - 11:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Cell migration and morphogenesis in viscoelastic matrices
Ovijit Chaudhuri, University of Standford
The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a complex assembly of structural proteins that provides physical support and biochemical signaling to cells in tissues. Over the last two decades, studies have revealed the important role that ECM elasticity plays in regulating a variety of biological processes in cells, including stem cell differentiation and cancer progression. However, tissues and ECM are often viscoelastic, displaying stress relaxation over time in response to a deformation, and viscoplastic, exhibiting irreversible deformations in response to mechanical stress. In this talk, I will discuss our recent findings on how matrix viscoelasticity regulates various biological processes, including collective invasion by cancer cells, morphogenesis of pluripotent stem cells, and monocyte migration.

IBEC Seminar: Aurora Hernandez-Machado
2024-05-07 12:45 - 13:30 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Biomicrofluidic analysis of hematological diseases by means of mathematical biomechanical models and statistical analysis: Cells and hydrogels in microchannels and microrheometers
Aurora Hernandez-Machado, Departament de Fisica de la Materia Condensada, Universitat de Barcelona
We have developed microfluidic devices for precise characterization of hematological diseases. By means of one drop of blood and mathematical models based on biomechanics, we analyze the properties of cells and microrheological properties such as the viscosity of blood. We will present a microrheometer to determine in a fast, chip and sensitive way the viscosity of a drop of blood. Experimental results of malaria infected red blood cells in microchannels with endothelial slits and hydrogels with organ-on-a-chip will be discussed. Sprouting is a fundamental cellular behavior that plays an essential role in vascular development and angiogenesis. Due to its relevance to many aspects of human health, the ability to accurately reproduce cell sprouting is of broad and multidisciplinary interest. We will present microfluidic experiments and compare with theoretical models in which endothelial cells chemotactically migrate into a fibrin-based porous hydrogel which mimics the extracellular matrix. By means of statistical analysis we improve the diagnosis of the hematological diseases. We predict if a sample of blood corresponds to healthy blood or to blood with a hematological disease. We have obtained different performance for the different methods, some of them with very good results and an accuracy of 94%.

Research4talent
2024-05-08 10:30 - 13:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Parc Científic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
On Wednesday 8th May 2024 we’ll open our doors to UNDERGRADUATE & MASTER’s students interested in a research career

The event offers you the opportunity to engage with our researchers and inquire about their day-to-day work in the lab, career trajectories, work-life balance, mobility, etc.
In 2023, IBEC signed more than 130 internship agreements for undergraduate and master’s students with a wide range of national and international universities.
If you are interested in IBEC’s tenth edition of reSEARCH4TALENT, please register.

PROGRAMME · 8th May 2024

10:45
Welcome

11:00
Deputy talent and training director talk. Elisabeth Engel, “What is IBEC?”

11:20
Human Resources presentation

11:30
PhD Committee presentation

-Coffee break-

11:45
Careers Fair*: a chance for participants to mingle and chat with our researchers.

13:00
Labs visits

* To know in advance in which of our research lines you are interested in the Careers Fair, you can find the full research groups here.
Register here.

IBEC Seminar: Nicolò Accanto
2024-05-09 12:00 - 13:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
2P-BRAINSCOPY: pushing the boundaries of two-photon microscopy to study large neuronal networks in behaving mice.
Nicolò Accanto, Inserm researcher at the in Insitut de la Vision (IDV), in the group of Valentina Emiliani, Paris
In the past 15 years, the synergy of two-photon (2P) microscopy and optogenetics has transformed neuroscience, enabling high-resolution imaging and precise photostimulation of neuronal activity. Today, understanding how neuronal networks in the brain interact to generate perception, memory and behaviour, or in other words, deciphering the neuronal code, requires to push the limits of 2P microscopy.
This involves studying the brain of freely moving animals engaged in natural tasks and accessing thousands of neurons on a very fast (100 ms) timescale, across large (> 5 mm) brain regions, while keeping individual neuron (5 µm) spatial resolutions.

In this presentation I will outline our recent endeavours towards these goals. I will first show how 2P holographic photostimulation based on spatial light modulators is capable to precisely target individual neurons within a large volume [1]. I will then describe how we can use minimally invasive GRIN lenses to access deeper brain regions [2], below the scattering limit. Finally, I will detail our most advanced technique: a novel fiber-based miniaturized microscope to image and photostimulate neuronal activity in freely moving mice [3,4]. In the last part of the talk, I will present future directions for further developments and applications in neuroscience.

References
[1] Accanto, N. et al. Multiplexed temporally focused light shaping for high-resolution multi-cell targeting. Optica 5, 1478 (2018).
[2] Accanto, N. et al. Multiplexed temporally focused light shaping through a gradient index lens for precise in-depth optogenetic photostimulation. Sci. Rep. 9, 7603 (2019).
[3] Accanto, N. et al. A flexible two-photon fiberscope for fast activity imaging and precise optogenetic photostimulation of neurons in freely moving mice. Neuron 111, 176-189.e6 (2023).
[4] Lorca-Cámara, Antonio, Blot, Francois & Accanto, N. Recent advances in light patterned optogenetic photostimulation in freely moving mice. Neurophotonics In press, 11, S11508 (2024).

Seminar “The Canadian health research following COVID-19 pandemic – artificial intelligence (AI), generative systems, quantum computing and beyond"
2024-05-14 15:00 - 17:00 | Aula Manuel Corachan (5th floor) · UB Faculty of Medicine Clinic (Carrer de Casanova, 143, Eixample, 08036 Barcelona)
We are glad to invite you to this seminar organized by IBEC where Marek W. Radomski, Vice-Dean Research College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada will talk about the Canadian health research following COVID-19 pandemic, the next Tuesday 14th of May at 15h at the Faculty of Medicine Clinic (UB).
Marek W. Radomski,
Vice-Dean of Investigation College of Medicine, University of Saskatchwan, Saskatoon, Canada and President of The Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada, Vice-Deans Research Committee.
He has developed his research career in Poland, the United Kingdom and Ireland (both in a pharmaceutical company and at Trinity College in Dublin), at the University of Houston and in Canada (in two universities)
The Canadian health research following COVID-19 pandemic – artificial intelligence (AI), generative systems, quantum computing and beyond.
The COVID-19 pandemic claimed millions of lives worldwide and greatly disrupted societal fabric across the globe.
Despite amazing achievements of vaccine research and development many areas of health research have been adversely affected by limitations caused by pandemic.
However, AI, generative systems and quantum computing are examples of a postpandemic research acceleration with substantial health research and service potentials.
The presentation will focus on these challenges and opportunities through the lens of the College of Medicine University of Saskatchewan and of the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada.

14/05/2024 · 15h

Aula Manuel Corachan (5th floor) · UB Faculty of Medicine Clinic (Carrer de Casanova, 143, Eixample, 08036 Barcelona)

IBEC

No registration needed

IBEC Seminar: Erika Ferrari
2024-05-17 10:00 - 11:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Beating Organs-on-Chip: leveraging on motion to mimic human organ physiological/diseased states in vitro
Erika Ferrari, Commercial Science Leader, BiomimX Srl
Beating Organs-on-Chip are in vitro miniaturized models developed within the uBeat® platform, which integrates microfluidics, 3D human cell culture and controlled mechanical stimulation to recapitulate,
with unprecedented precision and predictability, clinically relevant models reflective of human pathophysiology and complex diseases. Every tissue in the body is subject motion and this motion can be mimicked within the uBeat® platformplatforms, which provides 3D microtissues with controlled mechanical stimulation (e.g., stretching or compression) resulting in more reliable, responsive, and predictive in vitro model models to investigate new therapies. BiomimX lead model is uHeart Visone, Tox Sciences, 2023; +4 additional cardiac publications ), a functional beating heart on a chip for cardiotoxicity and safety testing. uHeart was recently qualified with 12 drugs as a predictor of functional cardiotoxicity, showing 83.3% sensitivity, 100% specificity, a nd 91.6% accuracy. BiomimX pipeline consists of predictive physiological and pathological models, engineered solely through mechanical stimulation, without the need for introducing exogenous compounds (e.g., cytokines) into the cell culture chamber. uKnee the first in vitro model of human osteoarthritis; Occhetta, Nature Biomed Eng, 2019 ) has successfully supported a recent IND application. Other key models include uScar cardiac fibrosis; Visone, Adv Healthcare Mat, 202 2023), uGut a barrier model of the intestinal epithelium & endothelium; Ballerini, Nature Biomed Eng, under review ), uLung and uLiver Heart a multiorgan platform used to study the off-target cardiotoxicity of liver-metabolized drugs; Ferrari, Adv Mat Tech, 2023 ).

IBEC – KAIST Symposium
2024-05-20 09:00 - 14:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Delegations of the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC, Spain) and Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST, Korea) will introduce some of their exciting research at the IBEC – KAIST Mini Symposium with presenters from the field of materials science, polymer chemistry, tissue engineering, self-assembly, chemical biology and synthetic biology.
Date: May 20th 2024
Venue: Sala Baoba, Tower I, Floor 11, Baldiri I Reixac 4 – 12, Barcelona.
Schedule:
9:30 César Rodriguez-Emmenegger, IBEC
Welcome
9:50 Hee-Seung Lee, KAIST
10:10 Javier Ramon-Azcon, IBEC
Organs-on-chip with integrated optical sensors: advanced models for evaluation of potential therapies
10:30Myungeun Seo, KAIST
Polymerization/depolymerization-induced self-assembly/disassembly
10:50 César Rodriguez-Emmenegger, IBEC
Using Nature’s engineering principles to design biointerfaces and synthetic cells
11:10 Break
11:30 Sang Woo Han, KAIST
Plasmonic hybrid nanoarchitectures for boosting light-to-chemical energy conversion
11:50 Nina Kostina, IBEC
How spontaneous curvature induces the morphogenesis of dendrimersome vesicles?
12:10 Dong Ki Yoon, KAIST
Evaporation-induced self-assembly of biopolymers and its application
12:30 Mohit Kumar, IBEC / UB
Active Vesicles: Nanocontainers for temporally regulated cargo delivery
12:50 Byeong-Su Kim, Yonsei University
Recent advances in the design and biological applications of functional polyethers
13:10 Ramona Santini, IBEC
Discotic amphiphile supramolecular polymers for drug release and cell activation with light
13:30 Adriano Caliari, Jonas Quandt, Jenny Englert, IBEC/DWI
Flash talks
14:00 César Rodriguez-Emmenegger, IBEC
Closing remarks

THE BARCELONA BLOOD-BRAIN-BARRIER (B4) SYMPOSIUM
2024-05-21 08:00 - 2024-05-22 17:00 | Auditori Antoni Caparrós, PCB, Tower D, c/Baldiri Reixac 4-8, Barcelona, Spain
To fulfil the promise of applying bioengineering to improve the lives of patients, we need to adopt a holistic approach encompassing understanding of biological/pathological mechanisms, development of engineered systems, and consideration of clinical needs. Hence, the B4 symposium, by bringing together experts studying the BBB from a biological, engineering and medical perspective, will greatly aid IBEC in its goal of developing bioengineering solutions to deliver therapies against brain disorders.
Barcelona is home to numerous research groups pushing forward the knowledge frontier of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and its role in brain disorders. To foment interaction across this community, we are organizing the Barcelona Blood-Brain-Barrier (B4) symposium to bring the BBB-community of Barcelona together to discuss advances in the field. The event will focus on the mechanisms underlying BBB physiology (e.g., brain endothelial specialization, neurovascular coupling, molecular transport), its role in brain disorders (neurodegeneration, infectious diseases, cancer), and nano/bioengineering strategies to deliver therapies across the BBB.
The first edition of this symposium will take place on May 21st-22nd, 2024. As our inaugural keynote speaker, we have the honour to welcome Prof. Martin Lauritzen (Copenhagen University). Prof. Lauritzen has been instrumental in our understanding of regulation of cerebral blood-flow by the neurovascular unit, nanoparticle transport dynamics across the BBB, and in developing in vivo imaging systems to study the brain vasculature.

Check que program and register here.

IBEC Seminar: Sergi Garcia-Manyes
2024-05-24 10:00 - 11:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Single molecule insights into cellular mechanotransduction
Sergi Garcia-Manyes, Single Molecule Mechanobiology laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute and King’s College London

Cellular mechanostransduction relies on the conversion of mechanical cues into chemical signals, which propagate from the focal adhesion hub through the cytoskeleton to ultimately reach the nucleus through the Nuclear Pore Complex (NPC), and switch on specific force-dependent transcriptional programmes. However, how cellular mechanotransduction is regulated by the nanomechanical properties of the underpinning force-bearing proteins remains largely unknown. Here we first used a newly developed single-molecule magnetic tweezers combined with UV-light to demonstrate that oxidation of a previously cryptic methionine in the talin mechanosensor impairs vinculin binding. When translating the single-molecule findings into the cellular context, we found a loss in talin/vinculin co-localisation at focal adhesions of NIH3T3 mouse fibroblasts when exposed to µM concentrations of H2O2 and a decrease in the nuclear localisation of the YAP transcription factor (TF). In this vein, how the nuclear shuttling of mechanosensitive TFs is regulated by their mechanical properties remains also unclear. By using a combination of single-molecule mechanics and single-cell optogenetics, we discovered that proteins with locally soft regions in the vicinity of the nuclear-localization sequence exhibit higher nuclear-import rates. Inspired by these findings, we designed a short and easy-to-express unstructured peptide tag that accelerates the nuclear-import rate of stiff protein cargos. Altogether, our cross-scale experiments provide a single molecule perspective onto cellular mechanotransduction.

MSCA Doctoral Networks: convocatoria 2024
2024-05-31 09:30 - 12:30 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Parc Científic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
Event in Spanish
El objetivo de las Doctoral Networks es implementar programas de doctorado mediante asociaciones de organizaciones de diferentes sectores de Europa y más allá para formar doctorandos y doctorandas altamente cualificados, estimular su creatividad, mejorar sus capacidades de innovación y potenciar su empleabilidad a largo plazo. Gracias al componente de movilidad (internacional, interdisciplinar e intersectorial) y al enfoque orientado a la innovación, se proporcionan perspectivas profesionales optimizadas en los sectores académico y no académico.
La convocatoria de Redes de Doctorado 2024 tendrá un presupuesto de 608,6 M€ y abrirá el 29 de mayo de 2024 (fecha límite: 27 de noviembre de 2024).
Está previsto que se puedan agendar reuniones con el NCP para resolver dudas concretas entre las 14 y las 16h (a confirmar).

Agenda preliminar
09.30 h Bienvenida.
09.40 h La convocatoria MSCA-DN 2024 y novedades. Puntos importantes por la preparación de propuestas. Xavier Ronald Eekhout, NCP MSCA, FECYT.
11.30 h Pausa de café.
11.50 h Caso de éxito. Prof Gabriel Gomila, IBEC Group Leader
12.20 h Experiencia en la gestión de una MSCA-DN. Rosa Miralles, IBEC Projects Office.
Inscripciones aquí.

Ayuda GPE2022-001085 financiada por MCIN/AEI/ 10.13039/501100011033

IBEC Seminar: Wenting Zhao
2024-05-31 10:00 - 12:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Engineering the Nanoscale Membrane Topography in Cells
Wenting Zhao, School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore and Institute for Digital Molecular Analytics and Science (IDMxS), Singapore
Abstract.
Cell membranes serve as a central platform to host a variety of proteins essential for cellular activities such as cell signaling, morphogenesis, and membrane trafficking. At the same time, the membranes also undergo drastic morphological changes in a number of essential processes, such as endocytosis, intracellular trafficking, and cytokinesis, etc. An intriguing yet challenging question to answer is whether and how the shapes of the membrane impact the dynamics of membrane proteins or the periphery proteins interacting with the membrane. However, membrane shape changes often happen at sub-micro to the nanoscale, which is approaching the limit of conventional microscopy imaging resolution and difficult to examine quantitatively. In this work, we will introduce our efforts in employing vertically aligned nanostructures to generate defined membrane topography in live cells and in vitro. We will discuss our findings on the membrane curvature-guided accumulation of membrane proteins, including oncogenic Ras proteins and viral proteins, as well as the membrane-associated protein condensation. In addition to plasma membrane, we also explore the nanoscale topography guidance on nuclear membrane and its implication in differentiating malignant cancer cells. We envision more new insights would be revealed by bridging advanced nanotechnology to nanoscale dynamics at cell surfaces.

Short Bio
Dr. Wenting Zhao is currently an assistant professor in the School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, and Biotechnology at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. She received her Ph.D. degree in Bioengineering at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and completed her postdoc training at Stanford University. Her research group aims to reveal the nanoscale interplay between membrane morphology and protein assembly using advance nanofabrication and nanomaterials. Specific focuses of her studies are on the nanoscale topography-guided protein clustering and complex assembly, and their impacts on disease progression, such as cancer progression, viral replication, and immune activation.
Group website: www.wtzhaolab.com.

Nanomotors International Conference
2024-06-03 08:00 - 2024-06-05 17:00 | CosmoCaixa
The Nanomotors International Conference: 20th Anniversary will be held June 2-5, 2024 in Barcelona. This event will gather high-profile plenary and invited speakers and world-class researchers specializing in nanomotors to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the first publications in the field.

From the early days of artificial catalytic nanomotors, the expanding field of active matter has moved into new and exciting areas spanning physical length-scales, academic disciplines, and international boundaries.

This conference will feature invited talks, breakout sessions, and posters exploring leading-edge designs and applications of nanomotors. This year’s meeting will focus on biomedical applications and collective behaviour of self-propelled nanomotors, from both experimental and theoretical perspectives.

Nanomotors International will foster collaborations; highlight the positive impact of these technologies on society; promote scientific advances and innovative applications; and explore current and future challenges to bringing these technologies to the clinic and to the market.
Check the program and register here.
