Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia

Hybrid IBEC Seminar: Cesar Rodriguez-Emmenegger
2021-10-22 10:00 - 12:00 (Europe/Madrid)
Bio-inspired soft matter at the service of interactive biointerfaces and synthetic cells
Cesar Rodriguez-Emmenegger, Group Leader, DWI-Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials
Nature achieves unmatched functionality by the self-assembly of (macro)molecular building blocks in a hierarchical manner. All information necessary for the function is encoded at the molecular level. Unraveling such blueprints serves as a powerful paradigm in the bio-inspired synthesis of materials that can seamlessly interface with living matter or perform non-natural functions. In this talk, I will present a selection of research studies from my lab addressing the overarching task of developing bio-inspired interactive materials and their application in the biomedical field. Three themes will be considered. Firstly, I will present hydrophilic arborescent polymers, a new class of quasi-dendritic macromolecules in which the topology codes for extreme flexibility and enables a myriad of multivalent interactions. Secondly, I will present highlights of the antimicrobial Kill&Repel and Adaptive hemocompatible nanocoatings and our efforts in translating them to medical devices. The last part of the talk will focus on the development of Membrane Machines, tailor-made synthetic vesicles capable of recapitulating some fundamental biological properties and performing specific tasks. We take advantage of these systems to study how biological selectivity can emerge from the lateral organization of ligand in static and dynamic systems such as the bacterial divisome. We are also developing synthetic macrophage-mimetic microrobots capable of endocytosing bacteria and viruses, including SARS-CoV-2.
This seminar will be hybrid, using the GoToMeeting app and also at the Baobab meeting room located at Tower I, 11th floor. Very few people will be able to attend this seminar in person due to the capacity of the meeting room. If you wish to attend this seminar please write an email to ibeccommunications@ibecbarcelona.eu the free spots will be assigned on a first come first served basis.. The seminar will also be available on streaming, by using the GoToMeeting app, available in this link.
More information about his research team here

PhD Thesis Defence: Ignasi Ferrer Lluís
2021-10-25 15:30 - 17:30
Novel mHealth and multimodal physiological biomarkers for non-invasive monitoring and home healthcare of obstructive sleep apnea and COPD patients with comorbidities
Ignasi Ferrer Lluís, Biomedical Signal Processing and Interpretation
he defence will take place online, using the “Google Meet” app. If you wish to attend to this defence you can find the link here

4th IBEC-ICMS Joint Symposium
2021-10-26 10:00 - 13:00
The event is in the framework of an alliance between the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) and the Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), a research institute of the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e).

The event aims to identify synergies and potential for collaboration between IBEC groups and the researchers of ICMS. It is the 4th edition of a series of joint symposiums that started in Eindhoven on September 2018. During that symposium many natural connections initiated for the benefit of both our organizations. We therefore feel that there are excellent opportunities to further strengthen the ties between our institutes. Therefore, we are organizing a number of scientific exchanges and working on the identification of common research interests.
This fourth ICMS-IBEC Symposium will be a great opportunity to foster collaborations, strengthen the existing ones, and an opportunity for young researchers involved in the exchange program to present their activities in the partner organization.
The event will be held online using the Teams app. You can register here

14th IBEC Symposium - Bioengineering for Regenerative Therapies
2021-10-27 09:00 - 2021-10-28 18:30
Registration is now open for the 14th IBEC Symposium on Bioengineering for Regenerative Therapies
The 14th IBEC Symposium will focus on one of our three main areas of application of research at IBEC: Regenerative Therapies. Although this year the pandemic situation has improved, we still believe it is not safe enough to organize the symposium on-site. So, this year’s edition will be also celebrated online.
We will use the same online platform as last year, where all the talks will be streamed and posters will be available. To adapt to the online format, the Symposium will be divided into two days.
All the scientific community is invited to participate. Attendees from IBEC and abroad are welcome to present their research in their own virtual space by submitting an abstract. Moreover, some of these contributions will be selected by the scientific committee for an oral flash presentation.
This year we will evaluate your virtual space, which you will be able to personalise and upload all kinds of material (both visual and written) to show the attendees your work, if you abstract is selected. The evaluation will be carried out by a scientific committee and also by vote by the attendees, so two awards will be given.
Also, it is important that you submit your abstract and register at the same time.

Important deadlines:
Abstract submission: 15/09/2021
Notification of acceptance: 06/10/2021
Registration deadline: 26/10/2021

¡Adéntrate en la nano-escala: descubre y juega con el Microscopio de Fuerza Atómica! - Semana de la ciencia
2021-11-17 18:30 - 19:30 | Sala Félix Serratosa – PCB, c/ Baldiri i reixac 10-12, Barcelona, Spain, 08028, Spain
¡Adéntrate en la nano-escala: descubre y juega con el Microscopio de Fuerza Atómica!

Desde que en la década de los 80 se inventara el microscopio de sonda de barrido, han sido muchos y muy relevantes los descubrimientos que estas técnicas han proporcionado al conocimiento científico. Aun hoy, es un instrumento capaz de detectar fenómenos increíbles que se dan en la escala de lo muy pequeño, fenómenos que nos acercan más y más a la comprensión de este mundo sujeto a fuerzas muy distintas de lo cotidiano.
En esta charla con el investigador Rubén Millán del Instituto de Bioingeniería de Cataluña (IBEC), podréis descubrir cómo funciona un microscopio de AFM, tendréis la posibilidad de probar en vivo el juego “Catch me AFM”, y de conocer a nuestra superheroína científica IBBI.
¡No os lo podéis perder! Inscripciones aquí.

Charla divulgativa sobre la microscopia AFM en el marco de la “Setmana de la ciència 2021“

La recerca en Parkinson
2021-11-18 18:00 - 19:00 | IBEC
Vine a l’IBEC durant la Setmana de la Ciència i podràs conèixer els últims avenços sobre la recerca en Parkinson, visitar els nostres laboratoris i parlar amb els i les protagonistes d’aquesta recerca.

En el marc de la setmana de la ciència, us convidem a una jornada de portes obertes on podreu visitar els laboratoris de la Professora Sílvia Muro, investigadora ICREA a l’IBEC i responsable del projecte de recerca en Parkinson.
Més informació sobre aquesta investigació aquí

IBEC Seminar: Cristina Mayor-Ruiz
2021-11-19 10:00 - 12:00 | IBEC, floor 11, Tower I, Baldiri Reixac 4-8, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Targeted protein degradation: genetic determinants and drug discovery opportunities
Cristina Mayor-Ruiz, IRBarcelona
Targeted protein degradation is a new therapeutic modality based on drugs that destabilize proteins by inducing their proximity to E3 ubiquitin ligases. Of particular interest are “molecular glue degraders”: compounds that can degrade otherwise unligandable proteins by orchestrating direct interactions between target and E3. However, their discovery has been serendipitous, thus hampering broad translational efforts. I will present a scalable target-agnostic strategy toward glue degrader discovery. This approach is based on differential chemical screening coupled to a multi-omics target deconvolution campaign. Collectively, our data outline a versatile and broadly applicable strategy to identify degraders and thus empower future drug discovery efforts.

This seminar will be held at Tower I, 11th floor Baobab room, there will be 30 avialable seats, the free spots will be assigned on a first come first served basis. If you wish to attend this seminar online, please write to ibeccommunications@ibecbarcelona.eu.
More information about Cristina Mayor-Ruiz’s research here
Cristina Mayor-Ruiz obtained her PhD in 2017 at the CNIO (Madrid) under the supervision of Óscar Fernández-Capetillo. There, she explored mechanisms of resistance to anticancer therapies. In 2018, she joined the group of Georg Winter at CeMM (Vienna) supported by EMBO and Marie Curie postdoctoral fellowships, where her interests focused on different aspects of chemical biology and drug screening. Since January 2021, she leads the “Targeted Protein Degradation & Drug discovery” lab at IRB Barcelona. Her research focuses on:
(1) Developing screening strategies for early drug discovery. In particular, to identify monovalent degraders and other proximity-inducing drugs with therapeutic interest.
(2) Tackling exciting biological questions that either benefit from the high kinetic resolution provided by targeted protein degradation, or that involve E3 (dys)regulation dynamics.

PhD Discussions: Yolanda Castillo and Marc Molina
2021-11-26 10:00 - 12:00
Assessment of trunk function in patients with spinal cord injury using electromyography and smartphone accelerometry
Yolanda Castillo, Biomedical Signal Processing and Interpretation
Spinal cord injury (SCI) causes motor and sensory impairment below the level of the injury, but also many other health problems. A common consequence of SCI is the lack of control over trunk muscles, leading to deficits in postural control and balance while sitting. Since trunk stability is essential to maintain upright posture and support functional movements, impaired trunk function constitutes a major cause of motor disability in SCI patients, limiting their independence and quality of life. However, trunk stability is rarely examined in studies of mobility after SCI, and one of the reasons is the lack of quantitative measures for assessing trunk function. Here we propose to record and analyze electromyographic (EMG) and smartphone accelerometric data to extract quantitative measures for the evaluation of trunk function. Our aims were: 1) to characterize muscle activity and movement patterns of trunk flexion during a reaching task in healthy subjects and patients with SCI, 2) to compare the impact of cervical and thoracic injuries in trunk function, and 3) to investigate the potentially destabilizing effects of a startling acoustic stimulus in this task. For these purposes, during a reaching movement requiring trunk flexion, we recorded the EMG activity of 8 trunk, neck, and shoulder muscles and smartphone accelerometer data from individuals with cervical SCI, thoracic SCI, and healthy control subjects. We analyzed these signals and extracted different features, including the response time until pressing a target button, EMG onset latencies and amplitudes, and trunk tilt, lateral deviation, and other movement features from accelerometry. The proposed outcome measures revealed deficits in postural control and compensatory strategies employed by SCI patients, including delayed responses and higher lateral deviations, which might have important consequences for rehabilitation. The combination of EMG and smartphone accelerometer data can help to develop more suitable methods for the assessment of trunk function in individuals with SCI, thus improving the follow-up and management of these patients.
Development of a model of “macro” substrates for the analysis of 3D chromatin structure and transcriptional profiling
Marc Molina, Cellular and Molecular Mechanobiology
Mechanically-induced changes in the genome are increasingly recognized as major drivers of cell and tissue function. However, current and past studies on this topic in vitro have often been limited by the sample size required for these genomic analyses. Here we describe the development of a polyacrylamide gel (pAAg) substrate with larger area than gels previously generated in labs worldwide. These substrates display the same tunable stiffness as their smaller counterparts and are particularly suitable to accommodate large numbers of cells. We tested the substrates to assess the effect that changes in rigidity have in the cell’s genome, both at the level of chromatin organization and transcriptional regulation. For this, two different rigidities were used (soft vs stiff) with three conditions which included: i) a control group, ii) a transiently expressing mutant of RanQ69L that prevents all nucleocytoplasmic transport and iii) a transiently expressing mutant of NES1-KASH that prevents force transmission to the nucleus. Our preliminary results suggest that cells seeded on pAAg substrates of different rigidities display differences in chromatin structure and gene expression, but more data will be necessary to further support these results. Ultimately, the aim of our project is to understand down the road how changes in rigidity affect: i) the 3D structure and interaction map of chromatin and ii) the activated or repressed transcriptional programs in soft and stiff substrates. Overall, this new model will help us to characterize how the genome is affected by rigidity both at the structural and transcriptional levels. More broadly, we expect the potential findings of this work to help the community detailing the effect of changes in tissue stiffness in the genome spatial organization.
This PhD Discussion will be hybrid. Yolanda Castillo will be doing her presentation online and Marc from the Baobab room, located in tower I floor 11. To follow the session online, find here the link, we will be using the GoToMeeting app. If you wish to attend in person, the free spots will be assigned on a first come first served basis, the capacity of the room is for 30 people.

IBEC Seminar: Rob Jelier
2021-11-30 16:00 - 17:00 | IBEC, floor 11, Tower I, Baldiri Reixac 4-8, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
The effect of gene loss on adaptation | 3D cell shape analysis in embryos
Rob Jelier, CMPG – Predictive Genetics and Multicellular Systems University of Leuven
In this talk I will summarize two research projects. First, I will report on a large-scale experimental evolution study into the effect of gene deletion on adaptation. We found gene deletion can speed up adaptation. Further, tracking adaptation after the systematic perturbation of genes involved in a complex trait informs on the genetic architecture of the trait. Second, we have developed a segmentation-pipeline for membrane tagged cells from fluorescent microscopy timelapses. The pipeline uses a biophysical DEM model of cell shape to constrain the possible cell shapes. The retrieved accurate cell shapes are subsequently used for very sensitive characterization of cell shapes, for example to identify changes after perturbations.
This seminar will be held at Tower I, 11th floor Baobab room, there will be 30 avialable seats, the free spots will be assigned on a first come first served basis. If you wish to attend this seminar online, please write to ibeccommunications@ibecbarcelona.eu.

Online IBEC Seminar: Arnau Hervera
2021-12-03 10:00 - 12:00
Therapeutic effects of HDAC3 inhibition on spinal injuries and autoimmune demyelinating diseases
Arnau Hervera, Molecular and Cellular Neurobiotechnology
The molecular mechanisms discriminating between regenerative failure and success remain elusive. While a regeneration-competent peripheral nerve injury mounts a regenerative gene expression response in bipolar dorsal root ganglia (DRG) sensory neurons, a regeneration-incompetent central spinal cord injury does not. This dichotomic response offered us a unique opportunity to investigate the fundamental biological mechanisms underpinning this regenerative ability. Following a pharmacological screen with small molecule inhibitors targeting key epigenetic enzymes in DRG neurons we identified HDAC3 signaling as a novel candidate, that hindered axonal regenerative growth. In vivo, we found that only a peripheral but not a central axonal injury induced an increase in calcium, activating protein phosphatase 4 (PP4) who in turn dephosphorylates HDAC3 thus impairing its activity and enhancing histone acetylation. Bioinformatics analysis of ex vivo H3K9ac ChIPseq and RNAseq from DRG followed by promoter acetylation and protein expression studies implicated HDAC3 in the regulation of multiple regenerative pathways. Additionally, we and others have found that, HDAC3 inhibition is able to modulate the neuroinflammatory environment in the CNS after injury. In that sense, after CNS injury, inflammatory phase transitions are poorly orchestrated leading to unresolved exaggerated inflammation that triggers secondary damage and functional deficits. We found that HDAC3 inhibition also altered the cytokinome after SCI, and we are currently characterizing the effects of this inhibition on the functions of different immune cells after SCI. Additionally, HDAC3 inhibition has been also previously described to play important roles in neuronal survival, lymphocyte differentiation and myelination, together with neuroinflammation, all these processes are essential regulators on the development and outcome of autoimmune demyelinating diseases, such as MS. In this direction, we are also currently studying the potential therapeutic effects of HDAC3 inhibition in the multiple sclerosis mouse model Experimental Autoimmune Encephalitis (EAE), as well as their underlying mechanisms, in neuroinflammation autoantigen presentation, lymphocyte differentiation, demyelination, remyelination and oligodendrocyte survival and differentiation.
This seminar will be held using the GoToMeeting app

Online IBEC Seminar: Irene Marco
2021-12-10 10:00 - 12:00
Updates on a new lab at IBEC: hyperpolarised magnetic resonance for real-time, in situ monitoring of cell metabolism
Irene Marco, Molecular Imaging for Precision Medicine group at IBEC
There is a clinical need for non-invasive and reliable markers to diagnose, stage and evaluate treatment response in many diseases such as cancer or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Magnetic resonance (MR) methods now have the potential to revolutionise in the identification of such biomarkers in real time. Spectroscopic identification and quantitation of metabolites via carbon-13 chemical shifts can be combined with imaging (MRI) to simultaneously probe spatial (biodistribution) and temporal (kinetics) aspects of metabolism in vivo. These capabilities are enabled by so-called hyperpolarised (HP) MR techniques, including Dynamic Nuclear Polarisation (DNP), which can transiently boost the carbon-13 MR signals by several orders of magnitude, compared to traditional methods. DNP enables real-time measurement of enzymatic reactions in cell suspensions and in vivo. Multiple HP 13C-labelled substrates have provided insights in several metabolic pathways, including glycolysis, the pentose-phosphate pathway and the cellular redox state. I will present the potential of DNP to study metabolism in cell suspensions, tissue ex vivo and animals in vivo. Also, I will talk about the progress we have made at IBEC in the past couple of months and how we plan to implement HP MR to monitor metabolism in organs-in-chips.
This seminar will be held at Tower I, 11th floor Baobab room, there will be 30 avialable seats, the free spots will be assigned on a first come first served basis. If you wish to attend this seminar online, please write to ibeccommunications@ibecbarcelona.eu.
More information about Irene Marco’s research here

PhD Discussions: Enrico Almici and Albert Manzano
2021-12-17 10:00 - 12:00
Investigating Pathological Extracellular Matrix Architecture
The composition and architecture of the extracellular matrix (ECM), and their dynamic alterations, play an important regulatory role on numerous cellular processes. Furthermore, structural and biochemical properties of the ECM are central in regulating cell behavior via mechanical, chemical and topological cues detected by receptors in the cell membrane which induce cytoskeleton rearrangement and/or cell nucleus gene expression. Indeed, distinct ECM architectures are encountered in the native stroma, which depend on tissue type, function and composition. For instance, ECM anisotropy and stiffness are associated with altered ECM degradation and remodeling in cancer. In turn, this architecture favors tumor progression and invasion. Moreover, numerous diseases are associated with mutations in genes encoding ECM components, leading to deficient mechanical properties and altered ECM structure. Thus, there is an increasing interest to exploit and consolidate this knowledge to improve patients’ treatment and care. In my work I focused on Collagen-VI related muscular dystrophies and Non-small cell lung cancer, to investigate in vitro and in patient tissues ECM-related biomarkers to be implemented in clinical setting. I employed automatic image segmentation to quantify fibrillar characteristics and investigate the association with the clinicopathological information from patients. Ultimately this analysis along with the tools presented is promising for addressing the need of novel descriptors, to stratify patients and evaluate their response to experimental treatments.
Enrico Almici, Nanobioengineering
Personalizing pediatric leukemia treatment using cell-based functional assays and microfluidics
Cancer personalized medicine improves treatment by testing different drugs in samples from every individual patient to select the best option in every case, maximizing efficacy and reducing side effects. Pediatric B-cell Precursor Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (BCP-ALL) has an acceptable cure rate, however, almost 10% of the cases are refractory to standard-of-care treatments, showing an urgent need for new therapeutic options. Here, we use Dynamic BH3 Profiling (DBP), a new assay that uses synthetic peptides mimicking the pro-apoptotic effect of the BH3 family of proteins, to predict treatment efficacy and anti-apoptotic adaptations conferring treatment resistance. Applying DBP in two BCP-ALL cell lines we identified new treatment options including both targeted agents and chemotherapies. We were also able to describe the mechanistic response of these cells after treatment, which acquired resistance using anti-apoptotic proteins that were later overcome using specific inhibitors called BH3 mimetics. Importantly, this resistance mechanism was also seen in patient-derived xenografts opening the use of these new combinations with BH3 mimetics in BCP-ALL patients. In the second part of the presentation, we developed a new version of the DBP protocol. Actual cytometry-based DBP requires a large number of viable cells which are easily obtained in liquid tumors but not in solid tumor biopsies, limiting the number of treatments that can be explored. To solve this problem, we developed a microfluidic-based DBP that drastically reduces cell requirement to perform the assay and helps to automatize the process to be implemented as a routinely clinical technique. We validated this microfluidic-based DBP using two gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) cell lines obtaining similar results between the new protocol and the cytometry-based DBP. Finally, we used a primary GIST sample to identify a treatment combination that induced apoptosis to these patient cells, which proves that the microfluidic-based DBP can help to personalize solid cancers treatment.
Albert Manzano, Nanobioengineering
This PhD Discussion session will be held at Tower I, 11th floor Baobab room, there will be 30 avialable seats, the free spots will be assigned on a first come first served basis.

PhD Thesis Defence: Ana López Mengual
2022-01-12 11:30 - 13:30 | Sala Graus, Faculty of Biology, Barcelona
Factores físicos y moleculares implicados en la migración celular y en el desarrollo de la corteza cerebral.
Ana López Mengual, Molecular and cellular neurobiotechnology group
Abstract
Cell migration acquires special relevance during embryonic development and tissue regeneration. During the development of the adult individual, cells multiply, differentiate and mature, having to move to their destination regions through migration. Once the adult individual has formed, these tissues can suffer damage, leading to an altered state. In this process of tissue regeneration, they try to set tissue homeostasis, cell migration is essential. This thesis analyses the mechanical factors involved in cell migration in brain development and neural regeneration, as a fundamental tool to understand these processes. OECs migrate greater distances over CXCL12 functionalized PLA 80/20 nanofibers, thus responding to the chemotactic gradient. Measurements made with by means of BIO-AFM of the mouse embryonic brain reveals differences between the pallium and the subpallium. These differences determine the differential migration rates when transplanting explants of various origins outside their usual site and analysing the migration of Cajal-Retzius cells. In addition, Cajal-Retzius cells respond by calcium entry to the inhibition of mechanosensitive cation channels, changing their migration rate. So, we conclude that physical factors are a key factor involved in the migration and disposition of Cajal-Retzius cells.

The public event will take place at the Sala de Graus at the Faculty of Biology (University of Barcelona) on January 12th at 11:30. If you prefer to attend to this defence virtually, contact with Ana López (alopezm@ibecbarcelona.eu).

Online IBEC Seminar: Carlos Aleman
2022-01-21 10:00 - 12:00
Smart and multifunctional artificial materials for bioengineering
Carlos Aleman, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunta (UPC)
The research of the ” Innovation, Modeling & Engineering in Materials” group in the field of multifunctional materials. Three, different examples of multifunctional systems will be presented: 1) Magnetic electroconductive and self-healing PEDOT:alginate hydrogels for sensing, drug-delivery and energy storage; 2) Self-standing PLA/PEDOT films as artificial muscles, controlled lactate release and selective ion transport; and 3) Permanently polarized hydroxyapatite a biocatalyst for carbon and nitrogen fixation.
Carlos Alemán graduated in Chemistry from the University of Barcelona (Spain). He received his Ph.D. from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) in 1994, where he was promoted to the position of Full Professor of Physical Chemistry. He was postdoctoral researcher at the ETH in Zürich (Switzerland) and visiting professor at the Università di Napoli Federico II (Italy), University of Twente (Holland) and Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil). Since 2003 he is the leader of the ‘‘Innovation, Modeling & Engineering in Materials’’ (IMEM) group. His main research interests focus on conducting polymers and biopolymers with biomedical and technological (energy) applications.
This seminar will take place online, using the go to meeting app

Núria Montserrat at "TEDxBarcelona - 8+3 charlas para vivir una vida saludable"
2022-01-22 04:00 - 17:30
Evento anual TEDxBarcelona 2022, una jornada única donde personas extraordinarias presentarán sus ideas para vivir una vida en salud.

El evento anual consta de diferentes conferencias divididas en dos sesiones durante toda la jornada, entre ellas, los asistentes podrán disfrutar de una feria donde algunas empresas de Barcelona presentarán sus productos innovadores.1ª Ponencia: 16:00h – 17:30h

José Cruset (Director de TEDxBarcelona)Chris Anderson (Curator at TED)Nuria Montserrat (ICREA Research Professor)Violeta Moizé (Profesora asociada de la UB en nutrición)Anneke Stolk (Cofundadora de Instagreen)Carlos Gonzalez y Neus Carol Gres (Proyecto AFIN)Feria y vídeos TED: 17:30h – 18:30h

Dan Buettner (How To Live To Be 100+)Jaime Oliver (Teach Every Child About Food)Tim Urban (Inside the mind of master procrastinator)2ª Ponencia: 18:30h – 20:00h

Chris Anderson (Curator at TED)Carol Blázquez (Directora de innovación y sostenibilidad en ECOALF)Lucía Hernández (Consultora para la ONU)Carlos Alcoba (Presidente de SostreCivic)María Hernández-Alcalá (CEO de Futurlife21)

Entradas aquí

PhD Thesis Defence: Ariadna Marín Llauradó
2022-01-27 11:00 - 14:00 | Auditori Antoni Caparrós, PCB, Tower D, c/Baldiri Reixac 4-8, Barcelona, Spain
Mechanical stress in curved epithelia of designed size and shape
Ariadna Marín Llauradó, Integrative cell and tissue dynamics group
The function of organs such as lungs, kidneys and mammary glands relies on the three-dimensional geometry of their epithelium. How epithelial geometry emerges from mechanical stresses remains poorly understood. To address this question systematically, here we engineered curved epithelial monolayers of controlled size and shape and mapped their state of stress. We designed pressurized epithelia with spherical, rectangular and ellipsoidal cross-sections. We developed a computational approach to map the stress tensor these epithelia from the measured pressure and geometry, without assumptions of material properties. In epithelia with spherical cross-section spanning more than one order of magnitude in radius, we show that stress increases with areal strain in a size-independent manner. In epithelia with rectangular and ellipsoidal cross-section we found pronounced stress anisotropies consistent with asymmetric distribution tractions measured at the cell-substrate contact line. Cells tended to align with the direction of maximum principal stress, but this alignment was non-universal and increased with monolayer anisotropy. Our study establishes how the size and shape of an epithelium depends on luminal pressure and mechanical stress.
This thesis defence will take place at Auditori Antoni Caparrós, located at the Parc Científic de Barcelona, Tower D with limited capacity, seats will be assigned on a first come first served basis. The defence will start at 11 AM.

PhD Thesis Defence: Andrea García Lizarribar
2022-01-28 11:00 - 13:00
Development of tunable bioinks to fabricate 3D-printed in vitro models: a special focus on skeletal muscle models with potential applications in metabolic alteration studies

Andrea García Lizarribar, Nanobioengineering group

This thesis defence will be held online using the Teams App, you can find the link here. You can find more information here

PhD Thesis Defence: Lucía Selfa Aspiroz
2022-02-01 10:00 - 12:00
Engineering human pluripotent stem cells to understand kidney development and disease

Lucía Selfa Aspiroz, Pluripotency for organ regeneration group

This thesis defence will start at 10AM. If you wisth to attend to this PhD thesis defence, you can join here via zoom.

Nanodía mundial contra el cáncer – 2022
2022-02-04 10:00 - 13:00
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.

Iniciado bajo el nombre de NANO WORLD CANCER DAY, NANOMED Spain organiza la edición de este año de manera virtual con la colaboración del VHIR (Vall d’Hebron Instituto de Investigación) y el VHIO (Vall d’Hebron Instituto de Oncología).

Más información y registro aquí.

PhD Discussions: Giulia Fornabaio and Shubham Tanwar
2022-02-25 10:00 - 17:00 | IBEC, floor 11, Tower I, Baldiri Reixac 4-8, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Biomechanics of the progression of colorectal carcinomas
Giulia Fornabaio, Synthetic morphogenesis group
According to the World Health Organization, cancer is one of the main causes of death worldwide, with colorectal carcinoma (CRC) being the second-leading cause of tumour related-death. The high rate of mortality of CRCs is principally attributed to the metastasis of neoplastic cells from the primary tumour to secondary organs such as the liver, the lung and the peritoneum. These cells can disseminate either as single isolated cells or as collective clusters, undergoing a series of molecular and cellular changes commonly known as Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition (EMT). However, in 2018, Jaulin and her team described a novel modality of peritoneal metastatic spread characterized by the presence of large clusters of cancer cells, which maintain their epithelial properties and display an outward apical polarity. These clusters of cells, termed tumour spheres with inverted polarity (TSIPs), were found in peritoneal effusions of CRCs patients showing early KRAS mutation and hypermethylation of CpG Islands.
TSIPs originate through a series of morphological changes: the first event is the sprouting of hypermethylated epithelia, followed by their apical budding, leading to the formation of rounded spherical clusters of cells called buds, and the subsequent cleavage of the newly formed spheres. How cell and tissue mechanics drive this process is still unclear. To provide novel insights into this metastatic cascade, our project aims at deciphering the biomechanical and cellular events regulating the formation of buds in colorectal cancer cell lines. Employing a combination between cellular biology techniques with biophysical methods, we showed that this process is characterized by over-proliferation and local changes in cell adhesion, coupled with the formation of cellular vortexes surrounding the buds. Our study demonstrates that buds development in colorectal carcinomas epithelia is governed by morphological transitions occurring entirely at multicellular level, rather than by single cells aggregation or cell extrusion.
Imaging Functional Organic Bioelectronic Platforms at the Nanoscale
Shubham Tanwar, Nanoscale Bioelectrical Characterization group
In recent years, many organic bioelectronic platforms have emerged to bridge the signaling gap between biology and technology. Organic bioelectronic platforms based on transistor architecture, commonly known as Electrolyte-Gated Transistors (EGTs), are an excellent tool to selectively sense, record, and monitor biological signals and states, and convert them into measurable electrical signals.1 Biological events happening at the nanoscale are now routinely studied and characterized by a millimeter-sized transistor. However, it is not well understood how these nanoscale events interact with the transistor’s nanoscale properties leading to a change in their macroscale response. This gap in understanding is purely due to the lack of techniques to image the electrical properties in a liquid environment. Towards this goal, our group has adapted in-Liquid Scanning Dielectric Microscopy to unravel the inner working of EGTs at the nanoscale.2 Besides apparent topographical changes, electrical properties, like conductivity and interfacial capacitance, and mechanical properties are mapped at the nanoscale in a working transistor in liquid. The vast information extracted has made it possible to correlate the nanoscale processes with the macroscale response, offering improved understanding and the potential for substantial optimization of bioelectronic devices.
This PhD Discussion session will be held at Tower I, 11th floor Baobab room, there will be 30 avialable seats, the free spots will be assigned on a first come first served basis.

PhD Discussions: Giulia Fornabaio and Shubham Tanwar
2022-02-25 10:00 - 17:00 | IBEC, floor 11, Tower i, Baldiri Reixac 4-8, Barcelona, 08028, Spain

Nano Rare Diseases Day 2022
2022-02-28 00:00 - 13:00
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.

Registro a la jornada online, aquí

Online IBEC Seminar: Stefano Pulchino
2022-03-04 10:00 - 12:00
Regenerative Neuroimmunology – new generation molecular approaches to restore maladaptive inflammatory responses in the persistently inflamed CNS
Stefano Pulchino, University of Cambridge
There are currently no approved therapies to slow down the accumulation of neurological disability that occurs independently of relapses in multiple sclerosis (MS). International agencies are engaging to expedite the development of novel strategies capable of modifying disease progression, abrogating persistent CNS inflammation, and support degenerating axons in people with persistent inflammation of the, such as that occurring in progressive MS.
Understanding why regeneration fails in the progressive MS brain and developing new regenerative approaches is a key priority for the Pluchino Lab.
In particular, we aim to elucidate how the immune system, in particular its cells called myeloid cells, affects brain structure and function under normal healthy conditions and in disease.
Our objective is to find how myeloid cells communicate with the central nervous system and affect tissue healing and functional recovery by stimulating mechanisms of brain plasticity mechanisms such as the generation of new nerve cells and the reduction of scar formation.
Applying combination of state-of-the-art omic technologies, and molecular approaches to study murine and human disease models of inflammation and neurodegeneration, we aim to develop experimental molecular medicines, including those with stem cells and gene therapy vectors, which slow down the accumulation of irreversible disabilities and improve functional recovery after progressive multiple sclerosis, stroke and traumatic injuries.
By understanding the mechanisms of intercellular (neuro-immune) signalling, diseases of the brain and spinal cord may be treated more effectively, and significant neuroprotection may be achieved with new tailored molecular therapeutics.

I have received my MD and PhD degrees at the University of Siena, Italy, and additional training at Cambridge University, UK. I am currently Professor of Regenerative Neuroimmunology and Honorary Consultant in Neurology, within the Department of Clinical Neurosciences at Cambridge University.
I have a strong interest in Regenerative Neuroimmunology, and my research over the last 20 years has recalibrated the classical view that cellular grafts only function through structural cell replacement and opened up a new therapeutic avenue by which to use exogenously delivered stem cells, or even stem cell-derived acellular therapies that include extracellular vesicles and exosomes.
The Pluchino team studies whether the accumulation of neurological disability observed in patients with chronic inflammatory neurological conditions can be slowed down using next generation molecular therapies. The overarching aim is to understand the basic mechanisms that allow exogenously delivered stem cells, gene therapy vectors and/or exosomes to create an environment that preserves damaged axons or prevents neurons from dying. Such mechanisms may be harnessed and used to modulate disease states in an effort to repair and/or regenerate critical components of the nervous system.
I am recipient of numerous national and international awards, among which the Italian Multiple Sclerosis Foundation (FISM) Rita Levi-Montalcini prize for outstanding research in MS (2007), the 2009 Italian Ministry of Health Young Investigator Award and the 2010 European Research Council (ERC) Starting Independent Award.
My laboratory research on Regenerative Neuroimmunology is documented in >230 publications in international journals, including many recent articles in highly prestigious journals, such as Nature, Cell, Cell Stem Cell, Nat Cell Biol, Nat Chem Biol, PNAS, PLoS Med, Brain, Ann Neurol, and J Neurosci, as well as invited review articles in Nat Rev Neurosci, Physiol Reviews, Trends in Mol Med and Trends Immunol. My publications have to date received >14.000 citations (ISI-WOK), having a Hirsch Factor of 52.

This seminar will take place online, using the go to meeting app

PhD Thesis Defence: Andrés Marco Giménez
2022-03-14 11:00 - 13:00
Generation and Validation of a CRISPR Platform for Rapid and Inducible Genome Editing in Human Pluripotent Stem Cells and Kidney Organoids
Andrés Marco Giménez, Pluripotency for organ regeneration group
This thesis defence will start at 11AM. If you wisth to attend to this PhD thesis defence, you can join here via zoom.
