Mechanobiology lab

We develop frontier tools for cell modelling, including microengineered stem cell niches, microfluidic bioreactors and miniaturised windows for intravital imaging. Our long-term goal is to develop the potential of engineered tissue-equivalents and organoids in cell modelling, drug discovery and regenerative medicine. By working at the interface between engineering and biology, we investigate the spatial and temporal effects of various micro-environmental factors, including three dimensionality (3D) of the cell environment and isotropy of the applied forces, on stem cell renewal and differentiation. Our skills in 3D:

  • Static/perfused culture of adherent cells
  • Cell biochemical assays
  • Histology on pellets and tissue
  • Fluorescence imaging
  • Transfection and transduction
  • Tissue engineering
  • Multiphysics computational modelling

Funded research projects

Equipment

Imaging lab

  • Confocal microscope equipped with resonant scanner, GASP detection, and culture chamber for live imaging acquisition (Nikon A1-R+, Nikon, Japan)
  • Multiphoton module: Multiphoton beam automatic alignment components, diascopy detector, filters, stage up kit, Non descanned detector, Interlock, Nikon Software upgrade, Objective, 40XC Water Immersion, series CFI, Apochromat Long Working Distance, Lambda S, Active anti-vibration table 1800x1490mm. Laser Chameleon Vision 2
  • Multiphoton Fluorescence-Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (MP-FLIM) module  – Video camera and software upgrade
  • Confocal microscope with integrated cell culture chamber (Fluoview FV10i, Olympus)
  • Microscope, inverted bright light/phase contrast/fluorescence (IX70, Olympus) – Video camera, high resolution color (4083.CL3, Optika)
  • Oxygen imaging system (VisiSens A1- Presens)
  • 2 Workstations Dell PowerEdge T630, 2xCPU, 64Gb RAM ECC, GPU Nvidia 1080Ti (12Gb RAM)
  • Cabinet, class II bio-safety (Top Safe 1.2, Bioair)
  • Incubator, CO2 standard (Safegrow 188, Euroclone)
  • Vertical refrigerator/freezer 4°C /-20° C (KRFDC 2711, KW Apparecchi Scientifici)
  • UV curing high intensity lamp (DYMAX 5000-EC, Ellsworth)
  • Ultra-sonification bath (DU 100, Argolab)

Core lab

  • Digital Light Processing (DLP) UV-based 3D printer (MARS2 PRO, Elegoo) with dedicated curing machine (Mercury Plus 2, Elegoo)
  • Stereolithography (SLA) UV-based 3D printer (FORM3B+, Formlabs ) with dedicated curing machine (FormCure, Formlabs)
  • Bioreactor for 3D tissue culture under surface perfusion
  • Bioreactor for 3D tissue culture under interstitial perfusion (video tutorial)
  • Bioreactor for 3D tissue culture under combined regimens of hydrostatic pressure and interstitial perfusion
  • Bioreactor for 3D tissue culture under pulsatile stretch (video tutorial)
  • Microfluidic bioreactor for 3D tissue culture with optical accessibility (video tutorial)
  • Syringe pump, multi-channel programmable (PHDULTRA, Harvard Apparatus)
  • Peristaltic pump, multi-channel programmable (520U, Watson Marlow)
  • Cabinet, class II bio-safety (M25121, MDH)
  • Cabinet chemical safety (GS800 BASE, Vetrotecnica)
  • Incubator, CO2 standard (5420-1, Napco)
  • Incubator, CO2 with oxygen control 1-19% and Humidity control 0-97% (IcoMed 50, Memmert)
  • Centrifuge, refrigerated (3-16PK, Sigma)
  • Multimode reader, monochromator with DNA nanoquant (Infinite M200Pro, Tecan)
  • Microtome (2218, LKB)
  • Autoclave, bench top (NT80, Golmar)
  • Balance, high precision electronic (Analytical Plus, Ohaus)
  • Vertical refrigerators/freezers 4°C /-20°, ultra-freezer – 80°C (Sanyo)
  • Dewar, liquid nitrogen (Millenium 2000, Chart)
  • Vortex mixer (2×3, Velp)
  • Shaker, orbital/parallel (PS-M3D, Grant Bio)
  • Hot air sterilizing oven (DISA)
  • Stirred water bath (SBS30, Stuart Scientific)

    Lab Life