We are a multi-disciplinary team working on the interface between physical sciences, engineering, mathematical modeling, and applications of these fields to biological sciences.
Microfluidics: In recent years we have developed a large set of microfluidic tools to culture and observe cells (bacteria, mammalian cells, protists, …) under well-controlled conditions of a confined microchannel. These tools are based on easy to use droplet manipulations, coupled with some robust chemical and biological protocols. The engineering of these tools has been coupled with a strong physical modelling aspect that allows us to understand the limits and capacities of the droplet manipulation, while also pointing us to new innovations.
Biological focus: Our current work is more focused on using these tools to gain new understanding of biological processes, by addressing biological questions through quantitative measurements and mathematical modelling, in a quantitative biology approach. This combination now allows us to obtain new types of information on the cells under normal or stressed conditions.
Example projects: We are applying this approach to bacterial cells, namely to understand the emergence of antibiotic resistance in small populations of cells. We are also studying three-dimensional cultures of mammalian cells, which are thought to represent in vivo conditions much better than traditional 2D cell culture. Here, we are questioning the link between distribution of mechanical forces within a 3D culture and the biological function of the individual cells.
Technology transfer: In addition to the fundamental scientific research that we perform, we are also interested in transfering our technologies to companies. This transfer allows the innovations that emerge from our lab to become useful to a large number of other researchers, in a way that cannot be achieved by academic groups. The technology transfer can take place either by the spinning-off of startup companies or by licensing agreements.
Group: Our group is made up of several bright scientists wishing to work across scientific boundaries. As part of our recent installation on the Pasteur campus, we are looking to recruit several brilliant post-docs wishing to work along areas combining physics and engineering with biology.
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