Research

Microfluidics for cellular plasticity
My main project is devoted to the understanding of cellular plasticity. This particularly concerns (stem) cell differenciation and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition that both are representative of cellular plasticity in normal developmental systems and in cancer. Through compartmentalized microfluidics, we want to provide cells with a multiplexed environment to let them evolve with their own spatio-temporality. This is based on (1) cell-matrix interactions, (2) cell-cell interactions and also involves (3) the delivery of signaling molecules in a controlled fashion.

Engineering collagen-based biomaterials
This project is directed towards the chemical-physics of biomolecules and biopolymers self-assembly for biomaterials engineering. We develop composite systems combining biopolymers with inorganic particles. We have shown the possibility to control collagen fibrillogenesis and to cluster biologically active ligands from/at the inorganic surface. This approach efficiently allows to reproduce and control the ECM properties and direct a given cell response.

Functionalized silica particles for biomedical applications
Silica nanoparticles have been extensively studied because of their easy synthesis, high tunability in terms of size and surface chemistry and limited toxicity. This projects aims at developing new agents for anti-tumor hyperthermia by functionalizing silica particles with rhenium complexes. This work is performed in collaboration with the Laboratoire des BioMolécules @ ENS.