Assoc. Prof. Laura Alvarez, Associate Professor at the University of Bordeaux and leads the Soft BioColloids group at the Centre de Recherche Paul Pascal (CRPP, CNRS)<\/p>\n
Cells, even in their simplest forms, exhibit adaptive motion and task execution, capabilities underpinned by their complex and hierarchized architecture, and their ability to dissipate energy. Replicating such intricate behavior at the microscale offers a pathway to uncover the fundamental physical and material ingredients required for biological complexity, while also inspiring the design of next-generation synthetic cells [1,2]. Here, I will demonstrate that using soft and adaptive compartments is the key to a new generation of biomimetic out-of-equilibrium systems. I will show our recent results on the fabrication of motile giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) driven out-of-equilibrium under external actuation. In contrast to the traditional active colloids [3,4], active GUVs present an excellent cell-model system, thanks to their membrane properties and their ability to enclose nano and micro-objects. We report on their run-and-tumble dynamics, reminiscent of bacteria dynamic patterns, mainly due to the intrinsic lipid membrane properties [5] We further investigate controlled deformations and division-like events under electric-fields and light as energy input. We show that these two external fields provide a programmable handle to steer out-of-equilibrium behaviors in these synthetic cells, enabling membrane mechanics and shape transformations that mimic key features of cell division and protrusion formation.<\/p>\n
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[1] G.Volpe, N. A. M. Ara\u00fajo, M. Guix, M. Miodownik, N.Martin, L. Alvarez, et.al., Animated Matter Roadmap (2025)<\/p>\n
[2] V. Willems, P. Moreno, J. Fojo, L. Rodriguez-Arco, L.Alvarez. Life-like processes in synthetic protocells under external fields. Newton (2026)<\/p>\n
[3] Alvarez, L., Fernandez-Rodriguez, M.A., Alegria, A. et al. Reconfigurable artificial microswimmers with internal feedback. Nat. Commun. (2021)<\/p>\n
[4] van Kesteren, S., Alvarez, L Arrese-Igor, S., Alegr\u00eda, A., Isa, L, Self-propelling colloidal finite state machines. PNAS (2024)<\/p>\n
[5] V. Willems, A. Baron, D. A. Matoz-Fernandez, G. Wolfisberg, E. Dufresne, J. C. Baret, and L. Alvarez. Soft Matter (2025).<\/p>\n
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Dr. Laura Alvarez is an Associate Professor at the University of Bordeaux and leads the Soft BioColloids group at the Centre de Recherche Paul Pascal (CRPP, CNRS). She completed a joint PhD between the University of Bordeaux and KU Leuven on the dynamics of colloidal liquid crystals, followed by postdoctoral research at ETH Zurich on responsive, light-controlled active colloidal assemblies. Her research lies at the interface of soft matter, active matter, and synthetic cells. She develops out-of-equilibrium bioinspired microsystems using colloids, giant lipid vesicles, microfluidics, and optical or electrical actuation to study active transport, membrane shape transformations, and collective dynamics in minimal cell-like systems. Her work aims to understand and harness non-equilibrium processes to engineer functional, cell-mimetic microdevices. Dr. Alvarez has also served as an ESA consultant in Soft Matter and Biophysics and is currently involved in microgravity experiments on giant lipid vesicles in collaboration with DLR through the MAPHEUS campaigns. She is an active member of the association Femmes & Sciences in France, promoting the visibility of women in STEM and outreach in physics, chemistry, and space science<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"