Droplet-Based Microfluidics for Synthetic Biology Applications
Event details
| Date | 29.02.2016 |
| Hour | 12:15 |
| Speaker | Ilia Platzman, Ph.D., MPI for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart (D) and University of Heidelberg (D) |
| Location | |
| Category | Conferences - Seminars |
BIOENGINEERING SEMINAR
Abstract:
Cellular interactions with the extracellular matrix or other cells are involved in nearly every cellular response in vivo. These responses, in turn, affect nearly all facets of cell’s life, including, but not limited to, directional migration, cell proliferation, differentiation, survival and gene expression. This broad range of adhesion/interaction-mediated processes also underscores their central physiological roles, as well as their involvement in a wide variety of disease states. Although attaining a fundamental characterization of these cellular functions is a compelling goal, the extensive complexity of these processes has hindered a full understanding. Therefore, engineering of biomimetic systems for controlled manipulation of individual cells or subcellular units in vitro has become an important strategy. This synthetic approach can contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms underlying the ability of cells to perform “intelligent” missions, such as acquiring, processing and responding to environmental information.
In this lecture I will describe our approaches to dissect complex cellular sensory machinery by means of an automated, high-throughput droplet-based microfluidic technology. Specifically, I will focus on the capacities of this technology in the following topics: 1) Bottom-up assembly of “droplet-based synthetic cells” capable to self-assemble different cytoskeletal and adhesion associated proteins, and, as a consequence, to generate signaling events including actin filament organization and self-propelling; and 2) mimicry of the immune system cellular environment for adoptive T cell therapy, with the goal of programing T cells to combat diseases like cancer.
Bio:
Education:
B.Sc. 2001 - 2005 Technion – Israel Institute of Technology (IIT), Haifa, Israel, the Department of Chemical Engineering, Cum Laude.
Ph.D. direct track 2005 - 2010 Technion – IIT, Haifa, Israel, the Department of Chemical Engineering. Advisors: Professor Rina Tannenbaum and Professor Hossam Haick. Title of thesis: “Self-Assembly of Organic Thin Films as Interactive, Bridging and Conductive Layers for Nanoelectronic Applications.”
Employment History:
2014 - Project Leader, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems (MPI-IS), Stuttgart, and the Department of Biophysical Chemistry, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
2013 - 2014 Max Planck Senior Postdoctoral Researcher, MPI-IS, Stuttgart, and the Department of Biophysical Chemistry, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
2010 - 2013 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, MPI-IS, Stuttgart, and the Department of Physical Chemistry, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
Abstract:
Cellular interactions with the extracellular matrix or other cells are involved in nearly every cellular response in vivo. These responses, in turn, affect nearly all facets of cell’s life, including, but not limited to, directional migration, cell proliferation, differentiation, survival and gene expression. This broad range of adhesion/interaction-mediated processes also underscores their central physiological roles, as well as their involvement in a wide variety of disease states. Although attaining a fundamental characterization of these cellular functions is a compelling goal, the extensive complexity of these processes has hindered a full understanding. Therefore, engineering of biomimetic systems for controlled manipulation of individual cells or subcellular units in vitro has become an important strategy. This synthetic approach can contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms underlying the ability of cells to perform “intelligent” missions, such as acquiring, processing and responding to environmental information.
In this lecture I will describe our approaches to dissect complex cellular sensory machinery by means of an automated, high-throughput droplet-based microfluidic technology. Specifically, I will focus on the capacities of this technology in the following topics: 1) Bottom-up assembly of “droplet-based synthetic cells” capable to self-assemble different cytoskeletal and adhesion associated proteins, and, as a consequence, to generate signaling events including actin filament organization and self-propelling; and 2) mimicry of the immune system cellular environment for adoptive T cell therapy, with the goal of programing T cells to combat diseases like cancer.
Bio:
Education:
B.Sc. 2001 - 2005 Technion – Israel Institute of Technology (IIT), Haifa, Israel, the Department of Chemical Engineering, Cum Laude.
Ph.D. direct track 2005 - 2010 Technion – IIT, Haifa, Israel, the Department of Chemical Engineering. Advisors: Professor Rina Tannenbaum and Professor Hossam Haick. Title of thesis: “Self-Assembly of Organic Thin Films as Interactive, Bridging and Conductive Layers for Nanoelectronic Applications.”
Employment History:
2014 - Project Leader, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems (MPI-IS), Stuttgart, and the Department of Biophysical Chemistry, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
2013 - 2014 Max Planck Senior Postdoctoral Researcher, MPI-IS, Stuttgart, and the Department of Biophysical Chemistry, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
2010 - 2013 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, MPI-IS, Stuttgart, and the Department of Physical Chemistry, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
Practical information
- Informed public
- Free