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PAST SEMINARS
FEBRARY 19th, 2019
JANUARY 15th, 2019
DECEMBER 18th, 2019
NOVEMBER 13th, 2019
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Elisabeth Bouchaud
Laboratoire MMN (Microfluidique, MEMS, Nanostructures)
Théâtre de la Reine Blanche - Theatre director
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Julien Bobroff
Physicist, Professor at Laboratoire de Physique des Solides (Univ. Paris-Sud & CNRS)
DISCOVER OUR SPEAKERS
Paper for Le Monde
DISCOVER OUR SPEAKERS
La Physique Autrement
APRIL 10th, 2019
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Fabien Miart
INRA, Versailles (France)
Microfluidics: a new addition to our toolbox for functional live cell imaging in plants.
In plants, cell elongation requires a fine balance between turgor pressure and cell wall extensibility. The walls of growing plant cells consist of cellulose fibers in a matrix of pectins, hemicelluloses, and structural proteins. According to the “acid growth theory”, the regulation of the apoplastic pH plays a key role in growth control. Our current goal is to take advantage of newly available technologies to challenge this theory and to get a better understanding of how cell wall assembly and the apoplastic pH cooperate to modulate the cell elongation rate. In this talk, I will introduce an open-source 3D-printed system, the so-called “Vertical Imaging of Plants (VIP)-box”, which allows high-throughput functional imaging of growing Arabidopsis seedlings. In this way, we were able to monitor simultaneously growth rate and apoplastic pH using genetically encoded pH biosensors. Based on these data at the tissue level, we then analyzed, in the stem, the precise apoplastic pH dynamics at the cellular level under controlled environments using a 3D-printed homemade imaging system and in the root, using a microfluidic device called the RootChip. I will focus on the new insights the RootChip brought us to better understand the control of the cell wall extensibility.
With a 15-minute presentation by:
Valentin Laplaud - Institut Curie/Bio6 and ESPCI/PMMH
Pinching the cell cortex : magnetic beads and actin dynamics
MARCH 13th, 2019
Nelly Henry
Laboratoire Jean Perrin - Sorbonne Université, Paris (France)
Bacterial biofilm: the resort of microbes
Adherent microbial communities, so called biofilms, are widely spread on earth in living hosts such as animals or plants but also on inert materials such as soil grains or ship hulls. Exhibiting very diverse traits and multiple impacts, they all have in common a three-dimensional architecture in which the confined cells, hold together by an extracellular polymer matrix, acquire specific properties and display significant advantages in comparison with their planktonic counterparts. To unravel the outperforming mechanisms operating in these communities, a better elucidation of the physicochemical landscape prevailing in these organizations is needed. Our group investigates the physical and physico-chemical properties the biofilm-dwelling cells are subjected to. We design experiments involving living biofilms under flow in microfabricated millifluidic channels aiming at real time monitoring of the biofilm properties in situ at the local scale. In this talk, I will give an overview of our researches ranging from studies performed on lab model systems to exploration of natural biofilms collected in field experiments.
With a 15-minute presentation by:
Kaori Sakai - Ecole Normale Supérieure
Plant on-chip for wide-spatiotemporal study
FEBRUARY 13th, 2019
Charles Baroud
Institut Pasteur - Ecole polytechnique, Paris (France)
CAN WE LEARN NEW BIOLOGY FROM ARRAYS OF STATIONARY DROPLETS?
In the past our group has developed ways to produce arrays of hundreds of stationary droplets in a microfluidic device. These devices allow us to easily observe and manipulate bacteria and mammalian cells. In parallel we have also been working on methods to analyse the behavior in these drops. In mypresentation I will discuss two examples of biological insight that we have obtained from this approach. The first one concerns 3D cell cultures (organoids) and the second one concerns bacterial colonies.
With a 15-minute presentation by:
Keil Wolfgang - Institut Curie
Ready ? Say Cheese ! Sharp pictures of tiny worms in tiny channels
JANUARY 9th, 2019
David Louapre - Scientific Popularizer
Non-linear career in science : from the Big Bang to video gamesCirculating
Due to the increasing scarcity of academic positions, it is important for PhD students in science to be prepared to work outside academia. I will share my experience of using my physics background to work in different fields, ranging from theoretical physics to video games, through science outreach, and materials engineering.
With a 15-minute presentation by:
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Projet Lutetium
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Mathias Casiulis - Sorbonne Université
Guillaume Durey - ESPCI
Quentin Magdelaine - Saint Gobain Recherche
DECEMBER 12th, 2018
Pierre Cordelier and Thierry Leichlé
CRCT/INSERM and LAAS/CNRS, Toulouse (France)
Circulating microRNA detection using fluorescence-based nanofluidic platform for the management of pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains a deadly disease with no cure, that will rank second for deaths by cancer by 2030. This is mainly due to late diagnosis and lack of efficacy of current treatments for this disease. In this dismal context, robust biomarkers are definitely needed for patient stratification and clinical management. During this lecture, we will first describe how microRNAs (miRNA), a short-class of non-coding and interfering RNAs, are dysregulated in PDAC tumors, and may serve as biomarkers but also as therapeutic targets for this disease. We will discuss how these tiny, yet functional RNA can be detected in plasma and saliva of PDAC patients and have clinical value in first-in-man clinical trials. To further explore the clinical utility of miRNAs in PDAC, we will describe a novel fluorescent-based nanofluidic device designed for the direct quantification of candidate miRNAs, in real-time with minimal sample preparation. More specifically, we will present a new analysis method for nanofluidic embedded spatially resolved biosensors that enables the rapid discrimination of single nucleotide difference (SND) in a wash-free single step. Last, we will draw perspectives on the best clinical setting for technology-based detection of candidate, circulating biomarkers for PDAC management.
With a 15-minute presentation by:
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Tickling the immune synapse
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Judith Pineau, Institut Curie/INSERM
NOVEMBER 21st, 2018
Guillaume Laffite
ESPCI, IPGG Plateform, Paris (France)
How to better deal with microfluidic technologies
For the last 10 years, microfluidic technologies have been used as a tool to explore various small
scale phenomena in fundamental science. Microfluidics has also been democratized for a wide range of applications in biophysical engineering, flow physico-chemistry, and point-of-care diagnostics. In recent years, there is a need for these applications to scale-up and microfluidics is at the forefront of that ever-growing demand. As a result, microfluidic engineers and researchers have been challenged to think “outside the box” and in an interdisciplinary manner when searching for new solutions and novel pathways to simplify technology. Therefore, in this talk, I will present a methodology that aims to provide end-users the necessary information and tools that would help them evaluate the best angle or approach when starting new projects using microfluidic technology.
With a 15-minute presentation by:
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Magnetic solid support handling in droplet microfluidics for bioanalysis
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Simon Dumas, Institut Curie, MMBM
OCTOBER 10th, 2018
Olivia du Roure
ESPCI, Paris (France)
Different morphologies of Individual Actin filaments in microfluidic flows
The dynamics of an individual flexible filament in viscous flows is key to deciphering the rheological behavior of many complex fluids and soft materials. It also underlies a wealth of biophysical processes from flagellar propulsion to intracellular streaming. In this seminar, I will show how we combined microfluidic channels and flow control systems to an optical microscope to carry out well-controlled experiments on the dynamics of the actin filament, used here as a model filament, in interaction with viscous flows. In shear flow, simulations matching the experimental conditions have also been performed and allowed the complete phase diagram to be understood.
With a 15-minute presentation by:
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Toward a gas/liquid plasma micro reactor for CO2 valorization
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Marion Gaudeau, Chimie ParisTech, IRCP, 2PM
JUNE 14TH, 2018
Vincent Senez
IEMN, University of Lille, Lille (France)
BioMEMS for the study of Cryptosporidium
Pathogenic microorganisms are widespread in the environment. To improve health and safety, it is of great importance to be able to perform an on-site, rapid but accurate analysis. Very sensitive techniques are mandatory since many pathogens can be harmful in very low concentration (i.e.: few infective agents). Lab-on-chip (LOC) technology is very well adapted to take on this challenge. The lookout for Cryptosporidium, one of the most common waterborne parasitic protozoans, outbreaks is a perfect case study to illustrate this technological challenge. With the significant progress in microfabrication technologies, using MEMS to automate the detection process or decrease the detection limit further is now an attractive proposition. The seminar will present the work we have done to quantify and concentrate Cryptosporidium oocysts and assess their infectivity.
With a 15-minute presentation by:
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Microfluidics double emulsion particle for the controlled delivery of pharmaceutical ingredients
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Marine Truchet, ESPCI Paris
MAY 17TH, 2018
Cagatay Tarhan
SMIL-E, CNRS, Université de Lille, Lille (France)
LIMMS, University of Tokyo, Tokyo (Japan)
Engineering a MEMS device for biological applications.
Biophysical properties indicate the biological and chemical state of biological samples. This can be at a molecular level for chemical purposes as attachments on macromolecules or at the cellular level for clinical purposes as drug testing, disease monitoring, and disease assessment. The physical properties of cells potentially reflect the state of disease development. Therefore, biophysical characterization can be a good alternative to immunoaffinity based approaches for diagnostic purposes. This presentation focuses on how the sensing capabilities of MEMS technology can be combined with microfluidics to handle biological samples without compromising the detection sensitivity. Silicon tweezers will be introduced and demonstrated on different biological samples, such as DNA, microtubules, and cells, for different chemical, biological and clinical purposes. assess their infectivity.
With a 15-minute presentation by:
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Ultrasound transmission through model liquid foams generated by microfluidics
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Lorène Champougny, ESPCI Paris
APRIL 12TH, 2018
Samy Gobaa
Institut Pasteur, Paris (France)
Bridging Biology and Engineering; Can Actual Bioengineering Concepts be Spun as Core Facility Services?
In the current biomedical research landscape, defined by fast-paced innovation, the use of state-of-the-art technologies offers an important competitive advantage. While links between biologists and engineers are being created within an increasing number of research institutes, the gap between these two worlds often remains wide. Establishing an in-house “bioengineering” structure where core technological bricks are available and where biological and engineering projects can “co-evolve” can provide an elegant solution for bridging this gap.
To meet this challenge, we adopted a two-fold strategy; we first equipped the incubated Biomaterials and Microfluidics core facility with essential bioengineering tools including a photo- and soft-lithography station, a scaffold library for 3D cell culture and dedicated chip perfusion and imaging solution. Then we launched, pilot projects to assess the benefits of embedded engineering concepts at the earliest stages of project design with the collaboration of early users.
For this talk, we would like to first explain the strategy and the major axis of the development of the platform. In a second time, we will illustrate the activity of the platform by showcasing some of the projects actually running at the platform. This includes the cellular microarray services in various implementations including a novel culture system in which 50+ rodent embryos can be seeded, cultured and imaged over long periods. Confining developing embryos will allow the mapping of cell lineages over time and space, based on the tracking of fluorescent reporters. We are also deploying the Artificial Niche Microarrays technology in order to decipher the interactions between stem cells and their related microenvironments. The idea is to offer a potent platform for primary/stem cell high throughput screening across varying biochemical and biophysical landscapes. In a third project, we will demonstrate the development of a novel microfluidic gut-on-a-chip platform used to recapitulate the hallmarks of intestinal infection in physiologically relevant culture conditions. This work was based on the recapitulation of a 3D structured gut epithelium in mechanically stimulated microfluidics channels in order to mimic the movements of the intestine occurring in vivo.
With a 15-minute presentation by:
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Bleb-Based Migration and Contact Guidance
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Juan-Manuel Garcia-Arcos, Institut Curie
MARCH 8TH, 2018
MARCH 8TH, 2018
Gilgueng Hwang
Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Paris-Sud University (France)
On-chip micro/nanorobotic swimmers: fabrications, characterizations and applications.
Micro/nanorobotic swimmers can serve as alternative microfluidic tools toward biologic or biomedical applications. We aim to develop highly energy efficient and fully controllable on-chip micro/nanorobotic swimmers with remote controlled functions such as cargo transport and sensing. In this talk, I will introduce our recently developed micro/nanorobotic swimmers including their fabrications by two-photon laser 3D nanolithography, force characterizations and their microfluidics applications. Two applications to simulate their future in-vivo and lab-on-a-chip applications are demonstrated. First, the micro/nanorobotic swimmer serves as mobile micromanipulator inside a microfluidic device to transpose microscale objects. Second, we demonstrate their physical sensing applications inside microfluidic control platform.
With a 15-minute presentation by:
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Acoustic vortices: a tale of tweezers and spoons
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Antoine Riaud, Université Paris Descartes
FEBRUARY 8TH, 2018
Guilhem Velvé Casquillas
CEO Elvesys Microfluidic Innovation Center
Inputs on hard-tech startup inception in the twenty-first century.
Did you ever wonder how and why Apple, in just three decades, became the most valorized company in the world? And how in seven years, Uber was valorized by half the total of all US airline companies?
Successful entrepreneurial methods and tools were revolutionized for both software and hardware innovative companies. During this presentation, we will look at the changes that took place since the seventies.
This will take us to the birth of the Venture Capital Funds by Georges Doriot, post-World War 2, an industry that boomed in the nineties. We will look at how online tools allow entrepreneurs today to reach their market worldwide for only a few euros. We will see how this changes the commercial growth dynamic of our hardware startups but also how it changes the way we do research and development today.
This new paradigm gives our entrepreneurial generation, for the first time in human history, the possibility to create, from nothing and in just a few decades, a world-leading company in its field.
With a 15-minute presentation by:
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Universal Diagram of Particle Deposition Kinetics
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Cesaré M. Cejas, ESPCI Paris
JANUARY 11TH, 2018
Antoine Jégou & Guillaume Romet-Lemonne
Institut Jacques Monod, Paris (France)
Using microfluidics to study actin assembly dynamics at the single filament level.
The actin cytoskeleton comprises diverse filament networks, which differ in architecture and dynamics, and which are in charge of a number of key cell processes (division, motility, etc.). Their assembly is controlled by the combined action of regulatory proteins, likely modulated by the mechanical context in which they operate. Understanding how this complex regulation takes place in cells requires isolating these reactions in controlled environments, in vitro, and monitoring individual reactions on individual filaments. To do so, we have developed over the past few years a powerful assay, based on simple microfluidics, which allows us to manipulate and monitor large assemblies of individual actin filaments. We will briefly present some of our recent results using this technique, on the regulation of filament assembly by formin and on the disassembly of filaments by ADF/cofilin. In both cases, we will highlight how the action of these proteins is modulated by other factors, in particular mechanical stress applied to the filaments.
With a 15-minute presentation by:
Liquid crystal self-assembly of RNA//DNA oligomers: a route for the prebiotic emergence of nucleic acids
Tommaso Fraccia, "selected within the IPGG Junior Research Chair call"
NOVEMBER 9TH, 2017
Samira Musah
Wyss Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge (USA)
Human Organs-on-Chips Engineered by Directed Differentiation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells.
This talk will describe our lab’s use of interdisciplinary approaches to control stem cell fate decisions and engineer functional microfluidic conduits of the human kidney glomerulus. Our most recent work involves the establishment of a robust stem cell-based method to generate blood-filtering cells (podocytes), and integrating these cells with a microfluidic organ-on-a-chip system to recapitulate the structure, function, and specific drug toxicity of the human kidney’s blood filtration unit.
With a 15-minute presentation by:
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Emulsion Droplets for the Study of the Physics of Phagocytosis
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Lorraine Montel, Ecole Normale Supérieure Paris
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