Venue: CGFB
Tailoring common hydrogels into 3D cell culture templates
Aurélien Pasturel
IINS
Team Sibarita
Thesis supervisor : Vincent Studer
Abstract
Research on stem cells demonstrated they could form miniature mimics of organs which will be instrumental to study and cure diseases. The production of mini-organs requires soft and waterlogged materials, hydrogels, but is still unreliable.
This PhD aims at using light to tune the hydrogels shape and molecule display in an effort to standardize micro-organs. To do this, we used an ultraviolet-light projector sending light patterns through a microscope. We combined this tool with miniature chambers to take advantage of oxygen’s unique chemistry. This resulted in a flexible hydrogel engineering tool-box.
With this tool, we were able to cure or liquefy hydrogels or tether them with biomolecules all using light. We subsequently demonstrated that usual cells were forming structures in concordance with the gel’s shape and molecule display.
Future works will seek to promote large scale application by speeding-up the process as well as implementing stem cell culture.
Jury
- Vincent Studer, CNRS Bordeaux – Directeur de thèse
- Nicolas Rivron, IMBA Wien – Rapporteur
- Xavier Gidrol, CEA Grenoble – Rapporteur
- Joelle Amédée-Vilamitjana, INSERM Bordeaux – Examinateur
- Gaëlle Recher, CNRS Bordeaux – Examinateur
- Aurélien Duboin, Alvéole Paris – Examinateur
- Olivier Théodoly, CNRS Marseille – Examinateur