IBEC ANNUAL REPORT 2011 IBEC ANNUAL REPORT 2011 IBEC ANNUAL REPORT 2011 Introduction

I truly believe the support structure “at IBEC is probably the best in the whole Catalan research system, and possibly even in the Spanish one.” – Josep A. Planell The high point of 2011 at IBEC was our tremendous success in the Ministry of Science and Innovation’s ‘Apoyo a Centros y Unidades de Excelencia Severo Ochoa’ programme, which stood testament to the strength of our institutional strategy even in the face of financially difficult times. Aiming to identify the best research centres in the country according to scientific relevance, human resources and international competitiveness, the programme selected IBEC among the 22 centres to go through to the second round, out of a total 75 in a wide range of disciplines. This not only ranks IBEC among the 22 best evaluated research institutes in Spain, but also placed us within the top ten of the centres working in physics and engineering. Another coup was the result of the year’s International Scientific Committee meeting. Favourably impressed by their evaluations of the latest four groups to be examined, and finding their positive opinion of the overall quality of our work and strategy reinforced, the committee announced its intention to include in its final report a recommendation to the Board of Trustees to seek ways of improving our funding. These successes were undoubtedly a direct result of the quality of research that our group leaders and their respective groups are conducting. IBEC is attaining real scientific excellence that places us amongst the best in Spain, and allows us to compete at a European and international level. However, it is also thanks to our tremendous support structure. The support services staff – in finance, HR, general and institutional projects, funding services, infrastructures, events, and communications – are not only experts, but they’re totally committed to the mission and the goals of IBEC. They allow our excellent researchers to concentrate on their work, making everything else in life simpler and providing the best possible conditions for 220 scientists to achieve results that are at the frontier of knowledge. I’m tremendously proud of them, and personally believe that the support structure at IBEC is probably the best in the whole Catalan research system, and possibly even the Spanish one. It was a year of change at various levels, with the departure of managing director Abel Riera and the arrival of his replacement, Alex de Jaureguizar. Despite the upheaval that change at the top inevitably brings, the support services team continued to work at full capacity in the face of new challenges and with unfailing loyalty to the institute. On the scientific side, we also saw Single Molecule Bionanophotonics group leader Maria Garcia-Parajo depart the institute for the more physics-based environment of ICFO, the bioengineering facet of her research having been fruitfully completed in the five years she spent at IBEC. The current financial climate dictates that when good researchers leave, they cannot be immediately replaced, but our aim is to protect our present level of resources and capacity of work. To this end, in 2012 we will set in motion a procedure of tenure track to ensure reasonable growth by attracting outstanding young researchers to the institute, as well as leveraging the promising talent we already have. With these efforts, I believe we can expect that by 2015 our position will be extremely strong, allowing us to speed up to pole position towards the definitive growth and consolidation of IBEC. The associate director and I are proud of all IBEC’s researchers and staff, and it is a great honour and pleasure to be able to work with all of them. We’ll make through the difficult times together with effort, cooperation and a lot of enthusiasm.

Josep A. Planell Director of IBEC

Contents | 5 Contents

n 2011 in review 6-13 News highlights 6-9 Scientific highlights 10-14

n Organisation 14-19 The IBEC private foundation 14-15 IBEC people: Faculty 16 IBEC people: Administration 17 2011 Statistics 18-19

n Research 20-75 Cellular Biotechnology 22-31 Biomechanics and cellular biophysics 32-40 Nanobiotechnology 41-51 Biomaterials, implants and tissue 52-62 engineering Medical signals and instrumentation 63-71 Robotics and biomedical imaging 72-75

n Networking 76-85 Partnerships 78-79 Research agreements and MoUs 80-81 Institutional initiatives and projects 82-83 Strategic alliances 84-85

n Events and communications 86-97 Seminars and PhD Discussions 88-89 Meetings and outreach activities 90-93 Communications 94-97 6 | 2011 in review

2011 in review News highlights

nanobiotechnologies and its many possible applications at January industry level. During the meeting, the group discussed the first steps IBEC researcher receives Pablo towards its aim to provide an expert opinion on the ‘hot’ topics and the local strengths in the field for ACC1Ó, the Motos award agency set up by the government to make Catalan enterprise more globally competitive. Eduard Torrents, senior researcher in IBEC’s Microbial Biotechnology and Host-pathogen Interaction group, was announced as a recipient of the 2010 Pablo Motos award from the Federación Española de Fibrosis Quística (Spanish February Association of Cystic Fibrosis) at the beginning of the year. Pablo Motos, a well-known TV personality and creator of the popular show ‘El Hormiguero’, donates the royalties Nanomedicine in Spain: looking from his book ‘Frases célebres de niños’ to the foundation to provide the annual prize, which aims to support research back to see forward projects in cystic fibrosis or social initiatives that benefit sufferers of the disease. A ‘who’s who’ of Spain’s major players in nanomedicine and a record of this new field’s most notable achievements, Eduard’s project, ‘Ribonucleotide reductase: a novel “Nanomedicine in Spain 06-10”, was launched in February. therapeutic target against bacterial pathogens in cystic fibrosis patients’ was one of a total of four winners chosen The report, which was coordinated by IBEC as leader of the by the foundation from many proposals entered from all Spanish Nanomedicine Platform (NanoMed Spain), covers over the country. A quarter of the total prize amount will the creation of large research initiatives such as CIBER- fund his work on the project for up to two years. BBN, public-private collaboration, international consortia such as BOND and Lymphotarg and entrepreneurship activities fostered by the Platform. As a reference work for this emerging area, it aims to provide an overview of Kick-off meeting of the nanomedicine’s formative years for policy makers, industry associates and existing stakeholders, as well as those Connect-EU Nanobio+ looking to enter the field. Nanomed working group The document was presented at the one-day workshop ‘Nanomedicine in Spain: present and future’ at the the January saw the kick-off meeting at IBEC of the Connect- Center for Industrial Technological Development (CDTI) EU Nanobio+Nanomed Working Group (WG). An initiative in Madrid, chaired by Mª Luisa Castaño, Deputy Director that aims to promote and reinforce Catalan participation in General of Strategic Public-Private Cooperation (MICINN). the EU’s instruments for research funding such as FP7 and The workshop also featured presentations by some top its successor, HORIZON 2020, the Connect-EU network researchers in nanomedicine to foster an open debate of WGs covers a range of sectors, from the internet of the on Spain’s strengths in this emerging sector and the key future to food technology and processing. technologies to focus on in the next few years. IBEC leads the Nanobio+Nanomed WG, which also involves as core members other centres such as ICFO, ICN, IQAC-CSIC and ICMAB-CSIC; companies from the Think Lab biotech, pharma and medtech sectors, such as Advancell and NTE-Sener; and hospitals, led by Vall d’Hebron. In February IBEC joined forces with Barcelona’s Arts Santa The WG membership reflects the multidisciplinarity of Monica centre and the British Council for a special activity 2011Research in review | 7

Meeting of the Connect-EU working group; Funding from RecerCaixa for photopharmacology project; Public presentation of BioNanoMed Catalunya

looking at the research laboratory from a cultural point of building a next generation of biologically inspired molecular view. devices based on new photonic tools. Within the framework of the centre’s ‘Think Art, Act Science’ exhibition, ‘Think Lab’ comprised two workshops, a round table debate and a performance. All took a look at the lab May as a cultural phenomenon, concluding that as a place for experimentation, for trial-and-error hypothesizing, for creating knowledge through experience and for opening the door to future innovation, a multidisciplinary and Public presentation of international scientific laboratory has a spirit and a dynamic BioNanoMed Catalunya that shares much with culture as a whole. Later in the year this arts and science initiative was awarded A press conference to present BioNanoMed Catalunya, the Antoni Caparros Prize for Best Knowledge Transfer from the IBEC-led alliance created to promote nanotechnology the University of Barcelona. applied to healthcare and biotechnology, was held in May at the Museu Colet in Barcelona. BioNanoMed Catalunya brings together 18 research centres, hospitals and companies to share know-how and resources, Funding from RecerCaixa for facilitate new developments in nanomedicine and gain international visibility for the advances in nanotechnology that photopharmacology project are emerging in Catalonia. Along with Biocat, the Catalan ICREA group leader Pau Gorostiza’s project ‘Development Bioregion agency, IBEC has been developing the initiative of light-modulated ligands for remote, non-invasive regula- since 2009. Among the 37 research groups involved in the tion of neuropathic pain’ was announced as one of the first alliance are IBEC’s Bio/Non-bio Interactions for Regenerative twenty projects to be chosen for funding by a brand new Medicine, Cellular Biomechanics, Nanobioengineering, and programme, RecerCaixa. Nanoprobes and Nanoswitches groups. A joint initiative by the Associació Catalana d´Universitats The network’s first public activities included a presentation Públiques (ACUP) and Obra Social la Caixa, RecerCaixa at the EuroNanoForum at the end of May in Budapest and has earmarked €9m for the period 2010-2014 to finance participation in Washington’s BIO Convention in June. research projects selected for their scientific quality. The first twenty, which were chosen from 461 hopefuls, focus on health sciences, particularly public health, and social sciences to do with education and immigration. ERC Starting Grant for IBEC Pau’s project goes deep into the new pharmacological con- researcher cept of light-controlled drugs (photopharmacology), including how to regulate their effectiveness and the spatial and Biomechanics and mechanobiology group leader Damien temporal distribution of their physiological effects. It’s hoped Lacroix was awarded a prestigious European Research that the results of this study will be relevant to personalised Council (ERC) Starting Grant for his research on finite ele- medicine and the development of patient-specific therapies. ment simulations of mechanobiology in tissue engineering. This was the second major project involving Pau who, With the funding, which will be supplied for up to five years, alongside Fausto Sanz, heads IBEC’s Nanoprobes and Na- Damien will attempt to reach new frontiers in mechano- noswitches group. In January the collaborative project Single biology with the development of a novel approach for the Molecule Activation and Computing (FOCUS), in which he modelling of tissue engineering. By integrating the micro- is a partner, was awarded funding by the EU for its work on scopic modelling of cells with the macroscopic modelling of scaffolds, this research will shed light on the influence of 8 | 2011 in review

2011 in review News highlights continued

mechanical loading and stimuli on cell behaviour and the ogy capabilities in Catalonia, the first major step since the subsequent formation of tissues. group’s launch at the end of last year. Damien is the third IBEC researcher to win one of these The document, “Connect-EU Nanobio + Nanomed Strate- highly sought-after grants, about 250 of which are awarded gic Research Agenda” was presented at the annual forum each year to EU-based researchers with talent and proven of the European Platform on Nanomedicine (ETPN), which potential. In the last call, nearly 4100 proposals were followed the 4th IBEC Symposium at the Hospital de Bell- submitted. In 2008 Pau Gorostiza, group leader in IBEC’s vitge. As well as providing a plan for this strategic area of Nanoprobes and Nanoswitches group, received an ERC knowledge in the region, the publication aims to help define Starting Grant, as did Xavier Trepat in 2009. priorities in innovative applications for the pharmaceutical, medtech and environmental industries that can be trans- formed into European projects under the EU’s FP7 funding July programme and its continuation, HORIZON 2020.

IBEC passes the first stage of November Severo Ochoa

IBEC was one of 22 centres, covering a wide range of dis- IBEC students’ PhD ciplines, out of a total of 75 to be selected to go through to programmes get top billing the second stage of the Ministry of Science and Innovation’s ‘Apoyo a Centros y Unidades de Excelencia Severo Ochoa’ The Spanish Ministry of Education published the list of programme. doctoral programmes that have received the accreditation The programme, which was launched by the MICINN in of “Mention of Excellence”. Among them were all the main April, aimed to identify the ten best research centres in the doctoral programmes open to IBEC PhD students from the country according to scientific relevance, human resources University of Barcelona (UB) and the Universitat Politècnica and its international competitiveness. Successful centres, de Catalunya BarcelonaTech (UPC). which are selected by a committee of international inves- Programmes receiving this quality award have achieved the tigators and Nobel Prize winners, receive a million euros highest marks in a rigorous selection process, and are rec- annually for four years, preferential access to scientific ognised as international benchmarks in their fields. Criteria installations and flexibility in the contracting of researchers. taken into account in order to achieve this ranking include publication records, the programme’s ability to attract students from other universities and nationalities, possibili- October ties for mobility and placements abroad, and participation in competitive research. The awarded programmes included Biomedicine, Biotech- ‘Roadmap’ for nanobiotech in nology, Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, and Engineering and Advanced Technologies (UB), and Biomedical Engi- Catalonia presented neering, Materials Science and Engineering, and Automatic Control, Robotics and Computer Vision (UPC). The IBEC-coordinated Connect-EU Nanobio + Nanomed working group published a ‘roadmap’ for nanobiotechnol- 2011Research in review | 9

of Degenerative Skeletal Disorders’ (STRUCTGEL), will be La Marató de TV3 2010 funds coordinated by Molecular Dynamics at Cell-biomaterial Interface group leader George Altankov and involves partners awarded from Germany, France and Turkey. With the aim of tackling The 55 researchers who received funding from fundraising degenerative skeletal tissue disorders such as osteoarthritis programme La Marató de TV3 2010, including IBEC’s Pau and osteoporosis, the consortium will combine high perfor- Gorostiza, attended a ceremony at the UAB where the grants mance materials and advanced nanotechnology to design were awarded in the presence of Minister of Health Boi an implant with unique properties which can influence site- Ruiz, Rector of the UAB Ana Ripoll, and La Marató de TV3 specific tissue regeneration. founder Enrique Marin. Under the ERA-NET scheme, projects are evaluated by a Pau’s project with Dr. Artur Llobet Berenguer of IDIBELL, centralized selection committee, but each partner of the “Regeneració de circuits neuronals mitjançant marcapassos project is funded by its own country of origin. Therefore, optogenètics”, receives almost €300,000 of the €7.7m total although the EuroNanoMed projects have already been se- raised by the 2010 edition of the fundraising show. It will set lected, before starting, these projects had still to go through the basis of a novel pharmacological approach to neuronal ad-hoc national calls. regeneration by defining a proof-of-principle based on op- togenetics and photopharmacology. IBEC/UPC spin-off for surgical December robotics A new spin-off company created by IBEC and the UPC will Funding success for two IBEC focus on the manufacture and marketing of surgical systems. Rob Surgical Systems Inc., a technology company driven by projects IBEC group leader Alicia Casals and senior researcher Ma- nuel Frigola, as well as Josep Amat of the Automatic Control Towards the end of the year, two IBEC-led tissue regenera- and Computer Engineering Department of the UPC, was tion projects were selected for funding by the EU’s ERA-NET approved by the university’s governing council in December. EuroNanoMed initiative. The company will manufacture the systems that IBEC’s Ro- ‘Angiogenic nanostructured materials for non-consolidating botics group has been developing in recent years. The first bone fractures’ (nAngioFrac), coordinated by Josep Planell’s product will be a minimally invasive robotic station, Bitrack, Bio/non-bio Interactions for Regenerative Medicine group, which has advantages over those currently on the market brings together four other academic, clinical and industrial since it occupies less space in the operating room. Its spe- partners from France and Poland. It aims to develop tailored cially adapted user interface also enables a faster start-up, biodegradable and bioactive nanostructured scaffolds to reducing the cost of interventions. ensure the correct release of calcium, a major player in an- The new company will validate the initial prototype of Bitrack giogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels), to promote and obtain the certifications necessary to start marketing it in tissue repair in pseudarthrosis. This condition results from Europe and the United States. Rob Surgical Systems already inadequate healing after a bone fracture and sometimes dur- has the support of the medical direction of the Mayo Clinic ing development, and results in a ‘false joint’. in Phoenix, Arizona, and aims to look for other alliances to The second project, ‘Nanostructured Gel for Cellular Therapy expand the market.

IBEC passes the first stage of Severo Ochoa; ‘Roadmap’ for nanobiotech in Catalonia presented; IBEC’s Robotics group 10 | Research2011 in review

2011 in review Scientific highlights

reveals differences between the reduced and oxidized January states of a protein, that may be relevant to the control of ET rates in enzymes and biological electron transport chains. Joining the fight against malaria “Methods to measure ET at the single-molecule level will help resolve temporal variations in enzyme activity that can At the beginning of the year the Nanobioengineering group be correlated with conformational changes to allow the published a description in J. Control Release of a nanovec- ultimate miniaturization of nanodevices,” explains group tor able to discriminate between blood cells infected with P. leader Pau Gorostiza. falciparum, the parasite that causes the most severe form The group also participated in a project led by researchers of malaria, and non-infected cells for targeted drug delivery. at the Institute for Materials Science of Barcelona, in which Current methods of administering antimalarial drugs deliver they characterized a robust molecular switch in solu- compound into the blood stream, where it can be taken up tion that operates at very low voltages, can be ‘patterned’ by all cells and not only by infected ones. The group used by electrical input and has exceptionally high long-term fluorescence microscopy to assess the efficiency of nano- stability, reversibility and reproducibility. “This switch is a sized liposomes, or carriers, which had been covalently very promising platform for use in memory devices,” says functionalized with oriented, specific half-antibodies against Pau. These results were published in Nature Chemistry in late-form P. falciparum. They found that these ‘immu- March. noliposomes’ docked to late-form infected membranes in 100% of cases, and not at all to non-infected cells. With such a specific method of delivery, drug dosage could Intelligent design be adjusted to a low overall concentration, while still offering a guaranteed localized delivery of highly toxic doses only to Researchers in the Biomechanics and Mechanobiology parasitized cells. The findings also mean that existing drugs group published a study in Biomaterials in February that that are not being tested because of their high toxicity or revealed how the design of tissue engineering scaffolds can elevated unspecificity may be used. influence the distribution of adhering cells after perfusion cell seeding. In designed porous structures, the ability to influence the February distribution of seeded cells is fundamental to allow the controlled engineering of complex 3D tissue structures in specific shapes. Together with collaborators in the Netherlands and Switzerland, the scientists described a Two papers for Nanoprobes model system that assesses the influence of local fluid flow group characteristics in designed porous scaffolding structures on the distribution of cells upon seeding. They found that the IBEC researchers found a way to measure the rate of elec- density of adhering cells correlates to the local average wall tron transfer (ET) – an important process which is essential shear rate at the surface of the pore walls. While scaffolds in many chemical and biological processes such as cellular with an isotropic gyroid pore network architecture show very respiration and photosynthesis – at the single-molecule homogeneous distributions of shear rates and cell densities level. after seeding, gyroid scaffolds prepared with gradients in pore size and porosity show anisotropic adherent cell In a study published in ACS Nano, members of the Nano- densities. The highest cell densities in the scaffolds could probes and Nanoswitches group described how they used be related to regions with larger pores, higher fluid flow an electrochemical tunneling microscope to measure the velocities and higher wall shear rates. ‘distance decay constant’ that characterises the rate of ET in redox proteins. Analysis of decay constant measurements 2011Research in review | 11

Confocal fluorescence microscopy study of the subcellular localization of monoclonal antibody BM1234 in P. falciparum; “We’re made of glass” in El Mundo; Green fluorescence protein expression under the nrdAB promoter region in P. aeruginosa.

then confluent cells (cells that move together) indeed flow March like a fluid. However, as density increases, the collective dynamics of the cells progressively slow down, much as the Electromechanics at the molecules of molten glass slow down as it is cooled.” A glass-like behaviour of confluent cells has direct implica- nanoscale tions on collective cell migration and its purposes, so this new knowledge provides a framework for understanding the Flick a switch, turn a knob or pull a lever and you’re operat- dynamics of wound healing or the metastasis of cancer cells. ing an electromechanical device, albeit a complex one. In March an IBEC researcher and his collaborators broke new ground with a proven concept for the first such electronic component to operate using just a single-molecule electrical April contact. In a study published in Nature Nanotechnology, Ismael Díez Pérez, a researcher in IBEC’s Nanoprobes and Nanoswitches Opening new doors to combat group, and Nongjian Tao from Arizona State University de- bacterial infections scribed their success in attempting to find a way to simulate the same electromechanical effects achieved on conven- We may be several steps closer to understanding one of the tional electronics, but in a single-molecule device that allows major pathologies that affects sufferers of cystic fibrosis, the accurate mechanical control of the current flow. Such thanks to senior researcher Eduard Torrents of IBEC’s Micro- devices would open up huge possibilities in being able to bial biotechnology and host-pathogen interaction group. create things at an ever-smaller scale. In a study published in April in the American Society for Microbiology’s journal Infection and Immunity, Eduard and his collaborator in Stockholm, Britt-Marie Sjöberg, looked We’re made of glass, say at DNA synthesis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacterial infection that is a frequent complication in many people with scientists cystic fibrosis, and a common cause of death in those patients. Focusing on ribonucleotide reductase enzymes, which People can be brittle, transparent, shattered, or have a heart are essential for cell division with a high fidelity duplication of glass. In March these attributes seemed all the more ap- of DNA – a critical step in the life cycle all types of organisms propriate following a discovery by researchers that migrating – the researchers studied the expression of each of these cells in our bodies behave in a remarkably similar way to type of enzymes during aerobic and anaerobic growth of P. glass when it is heated and cooled. aeruginosa and their role during infection. In a study published in PNAS, IBEC’s Xavier Trepat and his “Ribonucleotide reductases control the only pathway to the collaborators discovered that the movement of a collec- deoxyribonucleotides which are required for DNA synthesis tion of migrating cells is similar to a process called glass and repair,” explains Eduard. “By studying them, we were transition. Glass is, by definition, a non-crystalline solid that able to examine the shift in expression of each during the goes from brittle to molten when heated, and the other way infection process and so determine which ones in particular around when cooled: this is glass transition, one of the great could be considered a good target to inhibit the growth of P. unsolved problems in physics. “Our results provide a star- aeruginosa in chronic cases.” tling analogy,” says Xavier. “It had been predicted that over certain time scales, tissues might flow like fluids. What we’ve found shows that if cell density is below a certain amount, 12 | Research2011 in review

2011 in review Scientific highlightscontinued

was achieved by mimicking embryonic development of the May hematopoietic system. The group’s new protocol is much more robust and efficient than previous methods. Plithotaxis: how crowds of cells find their way Identifying an essential IBEC’s Integrative Cell and Tissue Dynamics group collabo- interaction for epilepsy rated with Harvard investigators to come up with a brand new concept in biology, plithotaxis. In June scientists at IBEC described a major step towards understanding epilepsy in a paper published in Molecular In the journal Nature Materials in May, IBEC group leader Biology of the Cell. Xavier Trepat, together with Harvard researcher and IBEC ISC member Jeffrey J. Fredberg, shed light on how cells The researchers shed new light on the importance of a neu- move within a monolayer cell sheet to enable the whole to ronal protein known as PrPc. When mutated or misfolded, migrate. “We’d long suspected that each cell exerts force its pathogenic form induces progressive conditions that not only upon its extracellular matrix but also upon neigh- affect the brain and nervous system, such as Creutzfeldt- bouring cells,” explains Xavier.“Plithotaxis, which comes Jakob disease and BSE. In epilepsy, it appears that the from the Greek plithos, meaning swarm, describes what healthy protein plays a preventative role. we discovered when we devised a way to measure these “PrPc’s modulation of GluR6 activity plays a key role in forces: that each cell pushes and pulls on its neighbours in the activation of the pathway that leads to the disease,” a chaotic ‘dance’, yet moving the whole cooperatively in its explains Patricia Carulla of IBEC’s Molecular and Cellular intended direction.” Neurobiotechnology group. “PrPc in the neuron blocks The discovery of a relationship between physical forces and the GluR6 receptor. Absence of PrPc, however, allows the individual cellular motions in vitro demands further tests to formation of this three-molecule receptor complex which see whether it holds in in vivo tissues, and could open new in turn leads to activation of the JNK3 pathway, resulting in avenues in predicting the movement of cancer cells. increased epilepsy and cell death in the hippocampus.” The group is now speculating that a similar protective effect of PrPc may occur in other brain injuries sharing a similar June activation mechanism where signalling is transmitted down- stream via GluR6 to the JNK3 pathway. Increased levels of PrPc has been found in stroke patients, for example. Turning skin into blood

In June, the Control of Stem Cell Potency group published a new, highly efficient protocol in the journal Stem Cells August for generating multipotent hematopoietic progenitors from human pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines. iPSCs hold huge potential for the treatment of diseases thanks to their pa- Researchers shed new light tient specificity and their similarity to embryonic stem cells, and the ability to generate hematopoietic cells from patient- on predicting spinal disc derived iPSCs enables the generation of an unlimited degeneration supply of transplantable cells for the potential treatment of hematological disorders. In August IBEC researchers took a big step towards The new protocol, which was developed in collaboration understanding one of the most common and debilitating with Inder Verma’s lab at the Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA, complaints in the industrialized world, lower back pain, with 2011Research in review | 13

results that could help to predict the onset of disc degenera- between the phases is accompanied by a transient increase tion. in membrane tension. To see if this tension increase was the signal responsible for activating the transition, they increased In a paper published in PLoS Computational Biology, they it artificially, causing an abrupt halt to the edge extension described some important findings gleaned from looking at and an induction of exocytosis. This indicated that tension the effect of outside influences on healthy and unhealthy increase not only accompanies but can also trigger the discs. They showed that weight or pressure on already de- transition. generated discs has less effect on the transport of nutrients and cell products than on healthy ones – and that changes Their findings highlight membrane tension as an important in cell density in discs are fundamental to the process of disc mechanical regulator of cell behaviour, and offer insights into degeneration. the biochemical and biophysical aspects of cellular biology that contribute to a bigger picture of complex cell activity. “In a healthy disc, we see that sustained mechanical stress – which alters solute concentration – affects the transport of nutrients more drastically than in already degenerated ones, suggesting that loading in the healthy disc is important for November maintaining proper metabolic balance,” explains Andrea Malandrino of IBEC’s Biomechanics and Mechanobiology group. “It’s safe to say that an alteration of cell number caused by this disturbance to the metabolic transport could Revealing the basis of result in the possible onset of disc degeneration.” E. coli infection With the knowledge that both mechanical and cellular pat- terns contribute to maintaining a healthy condition, new In a paper published in PLoS Pathogens in November, avenues of research and development in the field of disc IBEC’s Microbial Technology and Host-pathogen Interaction regenerative medicine have been opened up. group and their collaborators described a big step towards understanding the basis of selective regulation of virulence genes. Their study revealed the structure of a complex between Offering insights into complex the DNA-binding domain of Ler, a master regulator of the pathogenicity island (the genetic element of an organism that cell behaviour is responsible for its capacity to cause disease) in virulent E. In August Pere Roca-Cusachs of IBEC’s Cellular and Res- coli strains, and a DNA fragment. piratory Biomechanics group and his collaborators in the Pathogenic E. coli strains carry genes acquired from other US, France and Singapore revealed that an increase in the bacteria by horizontal gene transfer, and proper regulation plasma membrane tension of adherent cells coordinates the of the correctly expressed genes is crucial for the success of activation of exocytosis and contraction during cell spread- the bacteria. The protein H-NS, of which Ler is a member, is ing, suggesting that cells use this tension as a global physical a global regulator that binds DNA and keeps a large number parameter to control their motility. of genes silent until they are needed. Tension in the plasma membrane is an important factor in The structure revealed by the study shows that Ler, which a range of cellular phenomena, including cell migration and activates the expression of the horizontally acquired genes mitosis; however, little is known about how it regulates such that are used by E. coli to infect human cells, recognizes processes. In a paper in PNAS, the researchers described specific DNA shapes, which explains its capacity to regulate how they monitored the tension in a spreading fibroblast genes with different sequences. This could offer insights from the initial rapid spreading phase to the subsequent into sustainable antimicrobial strategies that are less likely to contractile spreading phase, finding that this transition acquire resistance.

The Biomechanics and Mechanobiology group’s PLoS Computational Biology results on the BBC website; confocal microscope image of the basal plane of the actin cytoskeleton of epithelial cells migrating on collagen-coated glass. The IBEC foundation (until December 2011)

Board of Trustees

PRESIDENT Dr. Carles Constante i Beitia Hble. Sr. Boi Ruiz i Garcia Director General for Regulation, Planning and Health Resources Minister of Health Government of Catalonia (GENCAT) Ministry of Health, GENCAT Dr. Montserrat Vendrell Rius FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT Director General, BIOCAT Hble. Sr. Andreu Mas-Colell Minister of Economy and Knowledge GENCAT Dr. Jordi Alberch Vié Vice-President for Research UB SECOND VICE-PRESIDENT Dr. Sílvia Atrián Ventura Excm. i Mgfc. Sr. Dídac Ramírez i Sarrió Vice-President for Innovation and Knowledge Transfer UB President University of Barcelona (UB) Dr. Xavier Gil Mur Excm. i Mgfc. Sr. Antoni Giró Roca Vice-President for Scientific Policies UPC President Technical University of Catalonia (UPC) Dr. Ana Isabel Pérez Neira MEMBERS Vice-President for Research UPC Sr. Antoni Castellà i Clavé SECRETARY Secretary for Universities and Research Ministry of Economy and Knowledge, GENCAT Sr. Josep Maria Alcoberro Pericay CERCA, Ministry of Economy and Knowledge, GENCAT Sr. Josep Maria Martorell i Rodón Director General for Research Ministry of Economy and Knowledge, GENCAT Organisation

International Scientific Committee

PRESIDENT Prof. Jean-Louis Coatrieux Standing Committee Professor Laboratoire Traitement du Signal et de l’Image, INSERM, University of Rennes, France PRESIDENT Prof. Luigi Ambrosio Sr. Josep Maria Martorell i Rodón Director Institute of Composite and Biomedical Materials, Director General for Research University of Naples, Italy Ministry of Economy and Knowledge, GENCAT Mr. Léonard Aucoin MEMBERS President InfoVeille Santé Ltee, Canada Dr. Carles Constante i Beitia Prof. Paolo Dario Director General for Regulation, Planning and Health Director Polo Sant’Anna Valdera, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Italy Resources Ministry of Health, GENCAT Prof. Jeffrey J. Fredberg Professor of Bioengineering and Physiology Dr. Jordi Alberch Vié Harvard School of Public Health, USA Vice-President for Research UB Prof. Günter R. Fuhr Dr. Xavier Gil Mur Director Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Vice-President for Scientific Policies UPC Germany

SECRETARY Prof. Samuel I. Stupp Sr. Josep Maria Alcoberro Pericay Director Institute for Bionanotechnology in Medicine, CERCA, Ministry of Economy and Knowledge, GENCAT Northwestern University, USA Prof. Bernt E. Uhlin Professor of Molecular Biology Umeå University, Sweden IBEC People Faculty

Microbial Biotechnology Nanobioengineering and Host-Pathogen Prof. Dr. Josep Samitier Interaction Prof. Dr. Antonio Juárez

Molecular and Cellular Single Molecule Neurobiotechnology Bionanophotonics Prof. Dr. José Antonio Del Río (until July 2011) Prof. Dr. María García-Parajo

Control of Stem Nanoscale Bioelectrical Cell Potency Characterization Prof. Dr. Ángel Raya Dr. Gabriel Gomila

Bio/Non-Bio Interactions for Cellular and Respiratory Regenerative Medicine Biomechanics Prof. Dr. Josep A. Planell Prof. Dr. Daniel Navajas

Molecular Dynamics at Cell– Nanoprobes and Biomaterial Interface nanoswitches Prof. Dr. George Altankov Prof. Dr. Fausto Sanz and Prof. Dr. Pau Gorostiza

Biomechanics and Mechanobiology Dr. Damien Lacroix

Biomedical signal Integrative Cell and processing and Tissue Dynamics interpretation Prof. Dr. Xavier Trepat Prof. Dr. Raimon Jané

Artificial Olfaction Robotics Dr. Santiago Marco Prof. Dr. Alícia Casals Organisation | 17 D Directorate

Director Josep A. Planell Associate Director Josep Samitier Managing Director Àlex de Jaureguizar Assistant to the Director Pilar Ciriquián Assistant to the Associate Director Judith Forné

Nanobioengineering Prof. Dr. Josep Samitier IBEC Administration

Single Molecule Support services Bionanophotonics GENERAL PROJECTS (until July 2011) Head of General Projects Teresa Sanchis Project Managers Javier Adrián, Ester Rodríguez, Prof. Dr. María García-Parajo Juan Francisco Sangüesa, Robert Fabregat

INSTITUTIONAL PROJECTS Head of Institutional Projects Arantxa Sanz Project Manager Roger Rafel

INFRASTRUCTURE Head of Infrastructure Isabel Oliveira Cellular and Respiratory Laboratory Technician Laura Gómez

Biomechanics FINANCE Prof. Dr. Daniel Navajas Head of Finance Ana González Purchasing Technician Mayte Muñoz Accounting Technician Francisco Buenestado Finance Assistant Anabel Alemany

FUNDING SERVICES Funding Services Manager Esther Gallardo

HUMAN RESOURCES Head of Human Resources Carol Marí HR Junior Technician Ricard Rius Administrative Technician for Travel and Support Marta Redón Occupational Hazards Prevention Technician Jordi Martínez

EVENTS Events Manager Pilar Jiménez, Angels Lopez

COMMUNICATIONS Communications Manager Vienna Leigh

IT IT Manager Juli Bafaluy IT Technician Francisco Contreras Statistics

Figure 1. IBEC researchers and technicians by group

Figure 2. IBEC researchers, technicians and support 50 services staff by gender and 48 category

Female

Male

16 16 14 13 11 10 9 7 7 4 4 2 1 1 1 Organisation | 19

In 2011 IBEC’s staff of researchers and expert technicians numbered 208. Some work on an in-house basis, some come from the University of Barcelona or the Technical University of Catalonia, and some are funded through programmes that support the recruitment of research staff such as the Bosch i Gimpera Foundation, ICREA and the Ramón y Cajal programme (MEC). IBEC also employs a staff of 26 people to carry out support activities.

(All figures correct as of 31.12.11)

Figure 3. IBEC researchers, technicians and support services staff by nationality and category

38 From Spain From abroad

20 17 16 13 13 14

4 3 3 2 2 2 2 0 1

Rest of Latin and South world 1% America 10%

Over 35 29% Rest of Female 48% Europe 22% Under 35 Male 52% Spain 71% 67%

Figure 4. IBEC researchers Figure 5. IBEC researchers Figure 6. IBEC researchers and technicians and technicians by gender and technicians by age by nationality

Visitors 2% Others Technicians Group 18% 10% leaders 7% Senior Undergraduates 2% researchers Masters students 6% CIBER 5% 9% Postdocs 17% UPC 9% IBEC 49% PhD students 47% UB 19%

Figure 7. IBEC researchers Figure 8. IBEC researchers and technicians and technicians by category by associated or contracting institution Research

IBEC’s groups and their activities are organised into six research programmes: Cellular Biotechnology, Biomechanics and cellular biophysics, Nanobiotechnology, Biomaterials, implants and tissue engineering, Medical signals and instrumentation, and Robotics and biomedical imaging. Contents | 21

Research Cellular Biotechnology Cellular Biotechnology Microbial Biotechnologyand Host-Pathogen Interaction Molecular andCellular Prof. Dr. JoséAntonioDelRío Neurobiotechnology Prof. Dr. AntonioJuárez Control ofStem Prof. Dr. ÁngelRaya Cell Potency programme

Cellular Biotechnology 23 | Research: Microbial Biotechnology and Host-Pathogen Interaction Interaction and Host-Pathogen Biotechnology Microbial Research: Manuela Dietrich, Martin Dr. Eduard Torrents Dr. Ingrid Nolla Daniel Esteban (shared with Gabriel Gomila, Prof. Dr. Antonio Juárez Prof. Dr. Mª Carmen Jaramillo Blanca Scarsciotti i Soler page 50), Nuria López, Maria del Mar Cendra, Laura Pedró, page 50), Nuria López, Maria del Mar Cendra, Francesca Staffieri 1. Structure and function of bacterial proteins that modulate virulence expression 1. Structure and function of bacterial proteins play key roles in the ability of virulent bacteria to adapt Protein–protein and protein–DNA interactions groups of proteins are currently the focus of our Two to the host environment and cause disease. that contribute to DNA architecture and modulate gene research: nucleoid-associated proteins (NAPs) which are key enzymes in all living organisms expression, and ribonucleotide reductases (RNRs), In the former group, we are providing the nucleotide precursors for DNA replication and repair. regulation interested in unravelling the role played by two of these proteins – Hha and H-NS – in the In the case of the latter group, our current research objectives of virulence and of plasmid transfer. of are to analyze the importance of bacterial RNRs in pathogenesis and the molecular mechanisms gene expression and to identify new specific RNR inhibitors. Owing to their essential function, these enzymes offer excellent potential for combating bacterial infection. 2. Application of nanotools of bacterial biotechnology have previously shown that dielectrophoresis can be a valuable tool 2.1. Dielectrophoresis (DEP). We are currently using different chip designs (2D and for bacterial cell sorting and characterization. We 3D carbon electrodes) to: a) study the effect of electric fields on bacterial cell physiology; b) combine DEP with other molecular protocols for detection and identification of diffent types of cells. 2.2. Atomic force microscopy (AFM). Conventional AFM approaches have been shown to be powerful techniques for characterizing both biomaterials and biomolecules. In a joint project with the Nanoscale Bioelectrical Characterization group (page 50), we intend to use electrical-AFM to characterize the also plan to use this approach to analyze the structural ahd physiological bacterial cell envelope. We properties of bacterial living cells. Masters students: Technicians: Visitors: Group leader: Senior researcher: Postdoctoral researchers: PhD students: Microbial Biotechnology and Microbial Biotechnology Interaction Host-Pathogen Edwards (shared with Gabriel Gomila, page 50) Cellular Cellular BiotechnologyBiotechnology 24 | Research:MicrobialBiotechnologyandHost-PathogenInteraction de FibrosisQuística. Beca deinvestigaciónPabloMotos.FederaciónEspañola PI: EduardTorrents fibrosis quística(2010-2013). Diana contraorganismospatógenosenenfermosde MICINN, BFU2010-21836-C02-01(2011-2013). PI: AntonioJuárez virulencia. implicación enlatransferenciagénicahorizontaly (CSIC). MICINN, ConsejoSuperiordeInvestigacionesCientíficas PI: AntonioJuárez(managedbyUB) y losGenomasdeBacteriasPatógenas(2008-2013). n n Research projects n Trapping ofEscherichiacolicellsinadielectrophoresischip.

InhibicióndelaíntesisdelANDbacterianocomo ProteínasrestingidasalafamiliaEnterobacteriaceae: INTERMODSInterconexionesdeMódulosplasmídicos Industrial projectwithMevet. PI: AntonioJuárez tivitats delsgrupsderecercaCatalunya(SGR2009). (AGAUR). Convocatòriad’ajutsperdonarsuportalesac- Agència deGestiód’AjutsUniversitarisiRecerca PI: AntonioJuárez MICINN, InstitutodeSaludCarlosIII(FISprogramme). PI: EduardTorrents cribaje deinhibidoresespecíficos(2009-2011). en patogenia:basesmolecularesdelaexpresióngénicay n n n n MICINN, AccionesComplementarias(ERANET). PI: EduardTorrents producing Escherichiacoli(2009-2012). gence andrapidlychanginggeneswithinshigatoxin-

DetecciódeSalmonella(2010-2011). Grupderecercaconsolidat(2009-2013). Funcióndelasribonucleotidilreductasasbacterianas PATHOGENOMICS Identificationofhotspotsdiver Hha perturbingH-NSstructure. - Cellular Biotechnology 25 | Research: Microbial Biotechnology and Host-Pathogen Interaction Interaction and Host-Pathogen Biotechnology Microbial Research: Protein expression and purification systems Biomolecule production process Protein and DNA electrophoresis apparatus Thermocycler (PCR) Microbial culture facilities Adrados, B., Julian, E., Codony, F., Torrents, E., Torrents, F., Codony, Adrados, B., Julian, E., Bacterial Paytubi, S., Garcia, J. and Juarez, A. (2011).

Luquin, M. and Morato, J. (2011). Prevalence and Luquin, M. and Morato, Mycobacteria in cool- concentration of non-tuberculous quantitative PCR: A prospective ing towers by means of , 62 (1), 313-319 Current Microbiology study. Hha-like proteins facilitate incorporation of horizontally , 6 transferred DNA. Central European Journal of Biology (6), 879-886 n n n n - Prof. Britt-Marie Sjöberg Molecular Biology and Func (Sweden). tional Genomics Dept., Stockholm University Prof. Miquel Pons Dept. de Química Orgànica, University of Barcelona (Spain). Esther Julián Dept. de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Dr. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Spain). Rodrigo Martínez-Duarte École Polytechnique Fédé- Dr. rale de Lausanne (Switzerland). Prof. Mike Hughes University of Surrey (UK). Prof. Josep Samitier IBEC (page 42). Prof. Josep A. Planell IBEC (page 53). Prof. Fernando Albericio Institut de Recerca Biomèdica (IRB), (Spain). Gabriel Gomila IBEC (page 50). Dr. García del Portillo Centro Nacional de Biotec- Prof. F. nología, Madrid (Spain). Prof. Josep Casadesús Universidad de Sevilla (Spain). Scientific equipment and techniques n n n Collaborations with other research centres - Rodríguez-Hernández, A., Juárez, A., Engel, E. and Banos, R. C., Aznar, S., Madrid, C. and Juarez, A. Banos, R. C., Aznar, Banos, R. C., Martinez, J., Polo, C., Madrid, C., Queiroz, M. H., Madrid, C., Paytubi, S., Balsalobre, C. Sjoberg, B. M. and Torrents, E. (2011). Shift in ribo- Sjoberg, B. M. and Torrents, Solorzano, C., Paytubi, S., Madrid, C., de Alba, C. F., Pedro, L., Banos, R. C., Aznar, S., Madrid, C., Bal- Pedro, L., Banos, R. C., Aznar, Crona, M., Torrents, E., Rohr, A. K., Hofer, A., Fur A. K., Hofer, E., Rohr, Crona, M., Torrents, Cordeiro, T. N., Schmidt, H., Madrid, C., Juarez, N., Schmidt, H., Madrid, Cordeiro, T.

Gil, F. (2011). Streptococcus sanguinis adhesion on Gil, F. titanium rough surfaces: effect of shot-blasting particles. Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine, 22 (8), 1-10 (2011). Differential functional properties of chromo- somal- and plasmid-encoded H-NS proteins. Research in Microbiology, 162 (4), 382-385 Prenafeta, A. and Juarez, A. (2011). The yfeR gene of encodes an Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium Fems transcriptional regulator. osmoregulated LysR-type Microbiology Letters, 315 (1), 63-71 and Juárez, A. (2011). Integration Host Factor alleviates H-NS silencing of the Salmonella enterica serovar Typh- imurium master regulator of SPI1, hilA. Microbiology- Sgm, 157 (9), 2504-2514 nucleotide reductase gene expression in pseudomonas , 79 aeruginosa during infection. Infection and Immunity (7), 2663-2669 Essential Juarez, A., Garcia, J. and Pons, M. (2011). co-regulator residues in the H-NS binding site of Hha, a Febs of horizontally acquired genes in Enterobacteria. Letters, 585 (12), 1765-1770 salobre, C. and Juarez, A. (2011). Antibiotics shaping salobre, C. and Juarez, A. (2011). Antibiotics virulence bacterial genome: Deletion of an IS91 flanked antibiotic determinant upon exposure to subinhibitory concentrations. Plos One, 6 (11), 11 A., Bernado, P., Griesinger, C., Garcia, J. and Pons, C., Garcia, Griesinger, A., Bernado, P., related M. (2011). Indirect DNA readout by an H-NS C-terminal protein: Structure of the DNA complex of the Plos Pathogens, 7 (11), 12 domain of Ler. A. B., Andersson, K. K., Sahlin, M. and E., Tomter, rer, mediates Sjoberg, B.-M. (2011). NrdH-redoxin protein ribo- high enzyme activity in manganese-reconstituted Journal of nucleotide reductase from bacillus anthracis. Biological Chemistry, 286 (38), 33053-33060 n n n n n n n n Publications n Cellular Cellular BiotechnologyBiotechnology 26 | Research:MolecularandCellularNeurobiotechnology Dr. FrancLlorens,Dr. SílviaVilches we demonstrated,incollaborationwithothergroups,theroleofcellularprionprotein(PrP processes ofdevelopmentandneurodegenerationthecentralnervoussystem(CNS).Amongthese During 2011,theresearchgroupdevelopedseveralstudiesaimedatunderstandingsomeof Visitors: Technician: Masters students: PhD students: Postdoctoral researchers: Senior researcher: Group leader: Neurobiotechnology Molecular andCellular epilepsy. OurdataindicatethatPrP Illumina GenomeAnalyzer. Agilent, Operon,andIllumina)in combinationwithdigitalgeneexpressionprofiling(DGE) with the transcriptome ofHeLacellsbyusing multiplelongoligonucleotide-basedmicroarrayplatforms(from and survival.To analyzethiswehaveusedacombinedapproachtostudytheEGFdependent Growth Factorrolesonthenormaldevelopmentanddisease, howtheyaffectcellproliferation Finally, groupmembers havecollaboratedonthestudyofanalysisroleEpidermal after spinalcordlesion. groups arefocusedonavoidingthisinhibitioninordertoincrease theeffectivenessofthiscelltype and tractionforceanalysis(CellularMolecularLifeScience,inpress).Currentexperimentsour group (page39)wedetermined,forthefirsttime,behaviourofthesecellsusingbiomechanics using olfactoryensheathingcells,whichareinhibitedbymyelin.In collaborationwithXavierTrepat’s associated proteinsandtheirintracellularsignalingcascadesinthe developmentofcelltherapies studies. Moreover, incollaboration withotherIBECgroups,wehavecharacterizedtheroleofmyelin- (published in2012)ontheusefulnessofthree-dimensionalculture withhydrogelsinneurobiological From thetechnologicalpointofview, thegrouppublishedamethodological reviewinNatureProtocols axon regeneration. studies usingmicrofluidicsareanalyzingtheputativeeffectofspecificinhibitorsGSK3βtoincrease kinase GSK3βintheinhibitoryeffectsofmyelin-associatedmolecules.Currentpharmacological axonal regenerationafterCNSinjury. Inthisarea,wedescribedtheinvolvementofintracellular We alsomadeprogressinunderstandingtheintracellularmechanismsresponsibleforfailureof signaling. ThesedatawereincludedinaperspectivesreportPrion(inpress). Reginensi, ÓscarSeira,CristinaVergara PSD-95. ThustheabsenceofPrP membrane togetherwiththeglutamatereceptorsubunitsGlur6/7andpostsynapticdensityprotein receptor. Inaddition,wedemonstratedthatanintracellularkinaseJNK3isatargetofPrP CristinaRiggio,JordiTomas Roig Giovanna Tormen Prof. Dr. JoséAntoniodelRío Patricia Carulla,SaraNocentini,Diego JorgeGómez,CristinaLeón Dr. RosalinaGavín Dr. AnaBribián,Dr. Vanessa Gil, c inducesepilepsybylackingtheinteractionwithglutamate c modulatesglutamatergicneutransmissionbyactingatthecell c -mediated c ) in Cellular Biotechnology 27 | Research: Molecular and Cellular Neurobiotechnology Neurobiotechnology and Cellular Molecular Research: A) Example of the detection of the Wnt2b mRNA by in situ hybridization in the cortical hem (arrows) of the developing mouse embryo. B) Example of Wnt2b mRNA detection arrows in the telencephalon of the mouse. Cells originated in the cortical hem are responsible of the correct laminar development of the cerebral cortex during ontogeny. DEMTEST Biomarker based diagnosis of rapid pro- Grup de recerca consolidat (2009-2013).

n n gressive dementias – optimisation of diagnostic protocols. protocols. gressive dementias – optimisation of diagnostic PI: José Antonio Del Río y la Instituto Carlos III, “Optimización de Biomarcadores Armonización de su uso” (2012-2014). PI: José Antonio Del Río Agència de Gestió d’Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca (AGAUR), Convocatòria d’ajuts per donar suport a les activitats dels grups de recerca de Catalunya (SGR 2009). DEVREG Caracterización funcional de genes PRIORITY Protecting the Food Chain from Prions:

n Research projects n A) Example of LEICA SP5 spinning disk confocal microscopy picture showing several CA1 pyramidal neurons of the hippocampus A) Example of LEICA SP5 spinning disk confocal microscopy in m to analyze the dendritic morphology and its putative changesouse microinjected with fluorocromes. This observation is useful reconstruction of a dendritic segment showing its spines using Silicon Graphics models of neurodegenerative diseases. B) Example of 3D ImarisTM software. regulados durante la ontogenia del SNC en el desarrollo cortical y la regeneración axonal (2009-2012). PI: José Antonio Del Río MICINN, Investigación fundamental no orientada. Shaping European Priorities through Basic and Applied Shaping European Priorities through Basic and Research (2009-2013). PI: José Antonio Del Río (managed by UB) Integrated collaborative project within the framework of EU-FP7. Cellular Cellular BiotechnologyBiotechnology 28 28 | ResearchResearch:MolecularandCellularNeurobiotechnology Prof. JosepSamitierIBEC(page42) Prof. JosepA.PlanellIBEC(page53) Universidad deValencia (Spain). Prof. JoseManuelGarcíaVerdugo FacultaddeCiencias, Sebastian (Spain). Dr. Adolfo LopézdeMunainHospitalDonostia,San cos, Toledo (Spain). Dr. Fernando deCastroHospitalNacionalParapléji- Investigaciones Científicas(CSIC),Madrid(Spain). Prof. JavierdeFelipeInstitutoCajal,ConsejoSuperior Dr. Jung KeunHyunDankookUniversity, Yongin (Korea). research centres Collaborations withother n n n Publications analysis. BMCGenomics,12,326 transcriptome bymicroarrayanddeeptagsequencing Multiple platformassessmentoftheEGFdependent J., Bayes,M.,Himmelbauer, H.andSumoy, L.(2011). Dohm, J.C.,Noguera,M.,Kofler, R.,AntoniodelRio, Mosquera, A.M.,Gonzalez,E.,Lozano,J.,Ingham, Pluvinet, R.,Vivancos,A.,Castillo,E.,Iraola,S., Molecular BiologyoftheCell,22(17),3041-3054 tion ofJNK3activationbyGluR6/7-PSD-95binding. epileptic seizuresandcelldeathdependsonthemodula- Neuroprotective roleofPrP(C)againstkainate-induced I., Caelles,C.,AntoniodelRio,J.andLlorens,F. (2011). Faseb Journal,25(2),463-475 development, neuronalplasticity, andneurodegeneration. Emerging functionsofmyelin-associatedproteinsduring

Llorens, F., Hummel,M.,Pastor, X.,Ferrer, A., Carulla, P., Bribian,A.,Rangel,Gavin,R.,Ferrer, Llorens, F., Gil,V. andAntoniodelRio,J.(2011). n n n n n n n n n n techniques Scientific equipmentand Ohio (USA). Cincinnati Children’s ResearchFoundation,Cincinnati, Prof. Yutaka Yoshida DivisionofDevelopmentalBiology, miny, UniversitédelaMéditerranée,Marseille(France). Prof. FannyManDevelopmentalInstituteofMarseilleLu- Francisco (USA). Prof. MarcTessier-Lavigne Genentech,Inc.,SouthSan Bellvitge. UniversityofBarcelona(Spain). Prof. IsidroFerrerInstitutd’InvestigacióBiomèdicade dad AutónomadeMadrid(Spain). Superior deInvestigacionesCientíficas(CSIC),Universi- Prof. JesúsÁvila andProf.FranciscoWandosell Consejo Prof. AngelRayaIBEC(page29) Prof. XavierTrepat IBEC(page39)

In situhybridizationoven Protein andDNAelectrophoresis Gradient thermocycler(PCR) Lentiviral productionandcharacterization Technology ofneuronalculturefacilities(2Dand 3D) Protein expressionandpurificationsystems Pressure microinjectionsystem Electroporation system(BTX600) with LCiculturesystem) Microscopy facility(OlympusBX61andOlympusIX71 Neural stemcellculture Cellular Biotechnology 29 | Research: Control of Stem Cell Potency Stem Cell Potency Control of Research: Dr. Sergio Mora, Dr. Adriana Sergio Mora, Dr. Dr. Yvonne Richaud, Senda Jiménez, Yvonne Bahaa Arefai Isaac Canals, Elisabetta Crescini, Patrizia Benzoni, Marta Farrés, Claudia Di Guglielmo, Isil Tekeli, Juan Claudia Di Guglielmo, Isil Tekeli, Prof. Dr. Ángel Raya Prof. Dr. Luís Vázquez Cristina García Martín Muñoz During embryo development, the potency of the zygote is deployed through coordinated and During embryo development, the potency of processes of tissue patterning, ultimately resulting in the stereotypical changes in cell behaviours and in a relatively short period of time. Throughout this formation of an entire, highly complex organism cells, i.e. their ability to give rise to cells of a different process, the developmental potency of individual that somatic cells in adult individuals retain very limited type than their own, is progressively lost, so potency (such as in rare adult stem cells) or show no potency at all. potency of Our laboratory is interested in understanding the mechanisms that govern the degree of doing so may human somatic cells, and how it can be experimentally increased for conditions where the context in which we investigate these issues is mainly be of biomedical relevance. Specifically, centred on the paradigm of cardiac regeneration/repair. disease being Heart-related diseases are the main cause of mortality in the world, with ischemic heart the single most frequent condition accounting for the death toll. This results from the very limited biomedical ability of the mammalian heart to regenerate on its own, and underscores the pressing need to finding ways for potentiating this ability (heart regeneration) and/or providing new cardiac pursue the first approach by studying the cells to replace the lost or damaged ones (heart repair). We process of heart regeneration in the zebrafish, an organism with a remarkable regeneration capacity. regain Natural regeneration is a biologically fascinating phenomenon in which somatic cells may and we hope that understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms that developmental potency, control this process will help devising strategies to potentiate the regeneration of adult mammalian hearts. in turn, our research is aimed at generating functional human heart muscle For achieving heart repair, the cells that could be used for transplantation. For this purpose, we investigate ways to manipulate the potency developmental potency of human somatic cells so they become pluripotent (i.e. regain cells of cells in the early embryo), and then study how these so-called induced pluripotent stem iPSC can (iPSC) can be instructed to differentiate into functional cardiomyocytes. In addition, since Masters students: Undergraduates: students: Visiting Group leader: Postdoctoral researcher: Research assistants: PhD students: Control of Stem Cell Potency Control of Stem Rodríguez Andrea Blanco Cellular Cellular BiotechnologyBiotechnology 30 | Research:ControlofStemCellPotency labelled cellsingreen,andcardiomyocytesstainedred. Section ofazebrafishheartshowingpatchgenetically- genuinely-human modelsofhumandisease. maturation ofhumancardiomyocytes,andthedevelopment regenerative process,andthedifferentiationfunctional of developmentalpotency, theinitiationandprogressionof mechanisms thatcontroltheestablishmentandmaintenance important currentissuesinbiologyandbiomedicine,suchasthe and geneticmanipulationofhumancells,aimedattackling cell differentiationtosingle-cellgeneticlineagetracinganalyses perspective, rangingfrombioengineeringapproachesto3Dstem tion anddifferentiation),approachedfromamulti-disciplinary paradigms (zebrafishheartregeneration,humaniPSCgenera- Overall, ourresearchtakesadvantageofavarietyexperimental or progression. investigate thepathogenicmechanismsofdiseaseinitiationand/ specific iPSCtogeneratedisease-relevantcelltypesinwhichto including oursareexploringthepossibilityofusingpatient- be generatedfromdisease-carryingcells,manylaboratories activity (bluestaining). Colonies ofhumaniPScellsshowinghighalkalinephosphatase Cellular Biotechnology 31 | Research: Control of Stem Cell Potency Stem Cell Potency Control of Research: Zebrafish transgenesis Molecular biology facilities Stereomicroscope for picking hES colonies Cell culture facilities hES/iPS cell culture station

n n n n Scientific equipment and techniques n Institut de Recerca, Hospital Universi- Jordi Barquinero Institut de Recerca, Hospital Barcelona (Spain). d’Hebron, tari Vall i Trias Antoni Bayés-Genís Hospital Universitari Germans Pujol, Barcelona (Spain). Francisco J. Blanco Complejo Hospitalario Universitario, A Coruña (Spain). Jerónimo Blanco/Núria Rubio Cardiovascular Research Center CSIC-ICCC, Barcelona (Spain). Madrid (Spain). Juan Bueren CIEMAT, Antonella Consiglio IBUB, University of Barcelona (Spain). Patrizia Dell’Era Università degli Studi di Brescia (Italy). Sheng Ding Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla (USA). Antonia Follenzi Universita’ del Piemonte Orientale, Novara (Italy). d’Hebron, Manuel Galiñanes Hospital Universitari Vall Barcelona (Spain). Rafael Garesse Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas “Alberto Sols”/UAM (Spain). University of Barcelona Daniel Grinberg/Lluïsa Vilageliu (Spain). José López Barneo IBiS, Sevilla (Spain). Zaragoza Pedro Muniesa Facultad de Veterinaria, (Spain). Hospital Clínic, Barcelona (Spain). Eduard Tolosa Institut de Recerca, Hospital Universitari Vall Miquel Vila d’Hebron, Barcelona (Spain). Dubart Inserm, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre Anne Weber/Anne Cedex (France). Woods, N. B., Parker, A. S., Moraghebi, R., Lutz, M. N. B., Parker, Woods, Use of patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells Use of patient-specific induced pluripotent Reparación de cartílago articular mediante ingeniería Reparación de cartílago articular mediante In situ tissue engineering CELLSCAFF-CARTILAGE RegenZebra Molecular and cellular bases of heart heart Human pluripotent stem cells and zebrafish Molecular and cellular bases of heart regeneration in Molecular and cellular

K., Firth, A. L., Brennand, K. J., Berggren, W. T., Raya, T., K., Firth, A. L., Brennand, K. J., Berggren, W. I. M. H. and Verma, A., Belmonte, J. C. I., Gage, F. (2011). Brief report: Efficient generation of hematopoietic precursors and progenitors from human pluripotent stem cell lines. Stem Cells, 29 (7), 1158-1164 Jordi Alberch/Josep M. Canals IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona (Spain). Collaborations with other research centres Publications n n n n n n Research projects n to improve diagnosis and treatment of Hemophilia A (2012-2014) PI: Ángel Raya ISCIII; E-Rare JTC 2011 (HEMO-iPS). de tejidos in situ: modelo in vivo (iPSC). PI: Ángel Raya MICINN (ACI-2010-1117). using stem cells and functional biomaterials to repair using stem cells and functional biomaterials articular cartilage: An ‘in vivo model’ (2009-2012). PI: Ángel Raya MICINN, ACI-E Medicina Regenerativa (ACI- PLE2009-0144). regeneration in the zebrafish PI: Ángel Raya (MIRG-CT-2007-046523). cardiac regeneration as experimental tools to understand muscle cell differentiation (2009-2012). PI: Ángel Raya MICINN, Investigación fundamental no orientada. the zebrafish. PI: Ángel Raya (BFU2006-12251/BMC). Cellular and Respiratory Biomechanics Prof. Dr. Daniel Navajas

Nanoprobes and nanoswitches Prof. Dr. Pau Gorostiza and Prof. Dr. Fausto Sanz

Integrative Cell and Tissue Dynamics Prof. Dr. Xavier Trepat

Biomechanics and Cellular Biophysics programme Research: Cellular and Respiratory Biomechanics | 33

Cellular and Respiratory Biomechanics

Group leader: Prof. Dr. Daniel Navajas Senior researchers: Dr. Pere Roca-Cusachs PhD students: Tomàs Luque González Masters student: Anita Joanna Kosmalska, Laura Schaedel

Our goal is to gain a better understanding of cellular and respiratory biomechanics in order to improve the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory disease. Our work is organized into two interrelated areas, focusing on respiratory mechanics at both the systemic and the cellular level. We use basic and translational approaches in a multidisciplinary framework involving cooperation with clinical research groups working in the field of respiratory medicine. At the systemic level, we study the mechanical properties of the airway and lung tissues and the changes that occur in the context of the mechanical dysfunction associated with respiratory diseases. We study the mechanics of the upper airway in sleep apnea syndrome and on mechanical ventilation in acute and chronic respiratory failure. We biofabricate engineered lungs by recellularizing lung scaffolds with stem cells. At the cellular level, we develop and apply cutting-edge nanotechnology and advanced biophysical techniques to probe the mechanical behaviour of cells and their mechanical interactions with their microenvironment. We study the mechanical properties of the cell and its response to inflammation Cellular Biophysics Biomechanics and and mechanical stresses and develop new approaches to differentiate stem cells using mechanical stimuli. We are developing a lung-on-a-chip model recreating the in vivo mechanical micro/nano- environment of lung cells. Magnetic tweezers and atomic force microscopy are also combined with molecular biology and advanced optical microscopy with the aim of understanding how cells detect and respond to mechanical stimuli. Using this approach we have, for instance, revealed that different integrins are adapted to sensing versus resisting forces or that talin molecules can detect forces by stretching and exposing cryptic binding sites to vinculin. Ultimately, when we determine the molecular mechanisms that communicate cells with their environment, we will understand how forces determine development when things go right and tumour formation when they go wrong.

Biomechanics and Cellular BiotechnologyCellular Biophysics 34 | Research:CellularandRespiratoryBiomechanics n n n n Research projects Decellularized ratlung. European CommissionCOSTAction(BMBS-BM1002). Management CommitteeMember:DanielNavajas Chair: E.Hol networks. tivitats delsgrupsderecercaCatalunya(2009-2013). (AGAUR). Convocatòriad’ajutsperdonarsuportalesac- Agència deGestiód’AjutsUniversitarisiRecerca PI. A.Torres (managedbyFundacióClínic) piratòries (2009-SGR-911). Consumo (PI081908). Fondo deInvestigaciónSanitaria.MinisterioSanidady PI: DanielNavajas(managedbyUB) lesión pulmonarinducidaporelventilador. tion withintheframeworkofEU-FP7. International OutgoingFellowships(IOF)MarieCurieAc- PI: DanielNavajas Fellow: PereRoca-Cusachs Mechanotransduction MediatedbyProtein(2008-2011).

NANONET Nanomechanicsofintermediatefilament Fisiopatologia iTractament delesMalaltiesRes- Alteración delaNanomecánicalosneutrófilosen CELL TRANSIntegratedMolecularandCellular containing α-actinin(green)talin(red)andβ3integrin(blue). Spreading fibroblastshowinginitialadhesionstotheextracellularmatrix

n n n n the frameworkofEU-FP7(MecPath303848). Career IntegrationGrants(CIG)MarieCurieActionwithin Coordinator: DanielNavajas PI: PereRoca-Cusachs nisms tocellfunction(2012-2015). 23111). Ministerio deeconomíaycompetitividad(BFU2011- Proyectos deinvestigaciónfundamentalnoorientada, PI: PereRoca-Cusachs (2012-2015). Innovación. (PI11/00089). Fondo deInvestigaciónSanitaria,MinisterioCienciae PI: DanielNavajas the lung.Lung-on-a-chipmodel. European CommissionCOSTAction(BMBS-TD1002). Management CommitteeMember:DanielNavajas Chair: P. Parrot Life Sciences. tions ofAtomicForceMicroscopytoNanoMedicineand

Mechanical pathwaysincells:frommolecularmecha- Identifying molecularmechanicalpathwaysincells Mechanical signalingdrivingstemcelldifferentiationin AFM4NanoMed&Bio Europeannetworkonapplica- Research: Cellular and Respiratory Biomechanics | 35

Publications Collaborations with other n Gauthier, N. C., Fardin, M. A., Roca-Cusachs, P. and research centres Sheetz, M. P. (2011). Temporary increase in plasma membrane tension coordinates the activation of exocyto- Prof. Ramon Farré Unit of Biophysics and Bioengineer- sis and contraction during cell spreading. Proceedings of ing, Dept. Physiological Sciences, School of Medicine, the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of University of Barcelona/IDIBAPS, Barcelona (Spain). America, 108 (35), 14467-14472 Prof. J. M. Montserrat Service of Pneumology, Hospital n Almendros, I., Farre, R., Planas, A. M., Torres, M., Clinic/IDIBAPS, Barcelona (Spain). Bonsignore, M. R., Navajas, D. and Montserrat, J. M. Prof. M. Sheetz Biological Sciences, Columbia University (2011). Tissue oxygenation in brain, muscle, and fat in a New York (USA). rat model of sleep apnea: Differential effect of obstructive apneas and intermittent hypoxia. Sleep, 34 (8), 1127- Prof. A. Pedotti Bioengineering Dept., Politecnico di 1133 Milano (Italy). n Dellaca, R., Montserrat, J. M., Govoni, L., Pedotti, Prof. J. Cortiella Laboratory of Tissue Engineering and A., Navajas, D. and Farre, R. (2011). Telemetric CPAP Regenerative Medicine, University of Texas Medical titration at home in patients with sleep apnea-hypopnea Branch, Galveston (USA). syndrome. Sleep Medicine, 12 (2), 153-157 Prof. A. Artigas Intensive Care Service, Hospital Sabadell n Cagido, V. R., Zin, W. A., Ramirez, J., Navajas, D. and (Spain). Farre, R. (2011). Alternating ventilation in a rat model of Prof. James Hone Mechanical Engineering, Columbia increased abdominal pressure. Respiratory Physiology & University (USA). Neurobiology, 175 (3), 310-315 Prof. Miguel Ángel del Pozo Centro Nacional de Investi- n Carreras, A., Wang, Y., Gozal, D., Montserrat, J. M., gaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid (Spain). Navajas, D. and Farre, R. (2011). Non-invasive system for applying airway obstructions to model obstructive sleep apnea in mice. Respiratory Physiology & Neurobiol- ogy, 175 (1), 164-168 Scientific equipment and n Mathur, A., Roca-Cusachs, P., Rossier, O.M., Wind, techniques S.J., Sheetz, M.P. and Hone, J. (2011). New approach for measuring protrusive forces in cells. Journal of n Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) Vacuum Science & Technology B: Microelectronics and microscopy Nanometer Structures 29: 06FA02 n Confocal Microcopy Cellular Biophysics Biomechanics and n Traction Microscopy n Live cell fluorescence microscopy n Cell stretching n Cell culture n Magnetic Tweezers n Atomic Force Microscopy n Surface Micro/Nano-patterning n Optical Tweezers Biomechanics and Cellular BiotechnologyCellular Biophysics 36 | Research:NanoprobesandNanoswitches Dr. AnaTrapero Kay Eckelt,Dr. OlgaEsteban,Dr. MarinaInésGiannotti, Dr. FelipeCaballeroBriones,Dr. IsmaelDíezPérez,Dr. Josep Relat Fausto Sanz wavelength ofillumination. light, andhasallowedforthefirsttimetomodulatefiringrateofpostsynapticneuronwith of LiGluRinhippocampalneuronsenablesdirectandreversiblecontrol ofneurotransmissionwith a calcium-permeable,light-gatedglutamatereceptor(LiGluR)incultured cells.Presynapticexpression method tocontrolneurotransmitterexocytosiswithlightatthepresynaptic compartmentbyactivating terminal andthatparticipateinthecommunicationbetweenneurons. We haverecentlysetupa membrane recyclingbyendocytosis,whicharethefundamental phenomena thatoccuratthesynaptic We arespecificallyinterested intheprocessesofneurotransmittersecretionbyexocytosisand to opticallycontroltheiractivity. switched withlight,suchasazobenzene,whichcanbechemically attachedtobiomoleculesinorder transistor. Anotherset of nanotoolsthatwearedevelopingisbasedonmolecularactuatorscanbe tunneling microscope,whichconstituteaproof-of-principleofsingleredoxproteinfield-effect junctions consistingofazurinbridgedbetweenagoldsubstrateandtheprobeanelectrochemical characterizes therateofelectrontransfer(ET)inredoxproteins,andwehavereportedsingleprotein particular, wehaverecentlypublishedamethodtomeasuredirectlythedistancedecayconstantthat These studiesarerelevanttothedevelopmentofbiosensorsandmolecularelectronicsdevices.In proteins. and spectroscopy, thatweapplytoinvestigateelectrontransferinmetaloxidesandindividualredox include instrumentationbasedonproximityprobes,suchaselectrochemicaltunnellingmicroscopy The group’s researchfocusesondevelopingnanoscaletoolstostudybiologicalsystems.These Visitor: Technicians: Undergraduates: Masters student: PhD students: Postdoctoral researcher: Group leaders: nanoswitches Nanoprobes and Lorena Redondo Masanas, AndrésMartín,AnnaPalacios,SilviaPittolo Xavier Gómez,JavierHoyo,MercèIzquierdo,Helena AlfredoMariaGravagnuolo Dr. NúriaCamarero,ÈricFerrer, AriadnaPérez Juan ManuelArtés,AntonioBautista, Prof. Dr. PauGorostizaandProf.Dr. Arnaud Giraudet,LiaLima,CristinaRivero Míriam Ferrer, MontserratLópez, Dr. M a Isabel Bahamonde, Research: Nanoprobes and Nanoswitches | 37

Crystal structure of redox protein azurin (Protein Data Bank entry: Representation of the invasive manipulation of neuronal activity by means 1AZU) displaying its solvent accessible surface (gold) superimposed on of a conventional glass electrode in contact with the neuron on the left, and the tertiary structure (rainbow) and a red sphere indicating the copper noninvasively by means of a focalized light beam over the green neuron on the right ion. When an atomically flat gold electrode is coated with azurin, the (Photomontage: Mercè Izquierdo). protein can be imaged under potentiostatic control by electrochemical tunneling microscopy (3D rendering of a 100x100nm2 area shown in blue), and its electron transfer properties can be investigated by current- distance spectroscopy (Juan Manuel Artés et al., ACS Nano 2011).

Research projects n Bioelectrochemistry and Nanotechnologies (2009- SGR-277). PI: Fausto Sanz n OPTICALBULLET Neurosecretion by Remote Control Agència de Gestió d’Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca of Exocytosis and Endocytosis with Light (2008-2013). (AGAUR). Convocatòria d’ajuts per donar suport a les PI: Pau Gorostiza (coordinator) activitats dels grups de recerca de Catalunya (2009- ERC Starting Independent Researcher Grant (ERC-StG) 2013). within the framework of EU-FP7. n Development of light-modulated allosteric ligands n Photosyn-STM Single-Molecule Studies of Photocon- for remote, non-invasive regulation of neuropathic pain ductance on Photosynthetic Molecular Systems by SPM (2010-2012). Cellular Biophysics Biomechanics and Break-Junction Measurements (2008-2011). PI: Pau Gorostiza PI: Fausto Sanz Fellow: Ismael Díez RecerCaixa, Obra Social “la Caixa”. International Outgoing Fellowships (IOF) Marie Curie Ac- tion within the framework of EU-FP7. n FOCUS Single Molecule Activation and Computing (2011-2013). n PASVD Photo-activated SVD (2010-2012). PI: Pau Gorostiza (Coordinator: Vincent Torre) PI: Pau Gorostiza Fellow: Mª Isabel Bahamonde European Commission Future and Emerging Technolo- International Incoming Fellowships (IIF) Marie Curie Ac- gies proactive 7: Molecular Scale Devices and Systems tion within the framework of EU-FP7. FP7-ICT-2009 8.7 (270483). n OPTICAL SWITCH Development of Photoswitchable Molecules with Biological Applications (2008-2011). PI: Pau Gorostiza MICINN, Investigación fundamental no orientada. Biomechanics and Cellular BiotechnologyCellular Biophysics 38 | Research:NanoprobesandNanoswitches n n n n n n n n n Publications (1), 27-36 means ofAFM.RecentPatentsonNanotechnology, 5 M. (2011).Calculationofyoung’s modulusvalueby Ceramic Society,31(4):429-449 and ceramiccoatingsbyAFM.JournaloftheEuropean and mechanicalpropertiesofsinglecrystals,ceramics F. andSegarra,M.(2011).Studyofthefriction,adhesion ecules, 12(7),2524-2533 lysosomal deliveryoftherapeuticproteins.Biomacromol- ride-based polyelectrolytecomplexesasnanocarriersfor M. F. andSanz,F. (2011).pH-Responsivepolysaccha- orbitals. NatureNanotechnology,6(4),226-231 molecule conductancethroughlateralcouplingof[pi] G., Mullen,K.andTao, N.(2011).Controllingsingle- Canada and Kramer, R.H.)55, 267-285,Springer, Saskatoon, for controllingbiologicalfunction(ed.Chambers,J. ligand-gated ionchannels.In:Photosensitivemolecules American ChemicalSociety(ACS),Anaheim,USA contacts. 241stNationalMeetingandExpositionofthe N. (2011).Lastadvancesinsingle-moleculeelectric Nature Chemistry,3(5),359-364 memory deviceswithopticalandmagneticresponses. C. (2011).Arobustmolecularplatformfornon-volatile V., Artés,J.M.,Gorostiza,P., Veciana, J.andRovira, (26), 9556-9567 photoelectrochemical studies.ElectrochimicaActa,56 electrodeposition. Depositionmechanisms,opticaland F. (2011).CuInSe2filmspreparedbythreesteppulsed cal tunnelingspectroscopy. ACSNano,5(3),2060-2066 decay constantsofsingleredoxproteinsbyelectrochemi- (2011). Directmeasurementofelectrontransferdistance

Roa, J.J.,Oncins,G.,Diaz,Sanz,F. andSegarra, Roa, J.J.,Oncins,G.,Diaz,Capdevila,X.Sanz, Giannotti, M.I.,Esteban,O.,Oliva,M.,Garcia-Parajo, Diez-Perez, I.,Hihath,J.,Hines,T., Wang, Z.-S.,Zhou, Gorostiza, P. andIsacoff,E. Y. (2011).Photoswitchable Diez-Perez, I.,Hihath,J.,Li,Z.,Hines,T. andTao, Simao, C.,Mas-Torrent, M.,Crivillers,N.,Lloveras, Caballero-Briones, F., Palacios-Padrós,A.andSanz, Artés, J.M.,Díez-Pérez,I.,Sanz,F. andGorostiza,P. (Spain). Prof. JesúsGiraldoUniversitatAutònomadeBarcelona lona (Spain). Prof. FranciscoCiruelaICREAandUniversitatdeBarce- peutics Dept,UniversitatdeBarcelona(Spain). Dr. Carles SolsonaPathologyandExperimentalThera- Prof. DirkTrauner ChemistryDept.,UCBerkeley(USA). etria deTerrassa (Spain). Dr. Joan Torrent EscolaUniversitàriad’ÒpticaiOptom- mental, UniversitatdeBarcelona(Spain). Dr. Artur LlobetDept.PatologíayTerapéutica Experi- macèutica, UB(Spain). Dr. Mireia OlivaDept.deFarmàciaiTecnologia Far- Mediterraneé (INMED),Marseille(France). Dr. Piotr BregestovskiInstitutdeNeurobiologiela Química (ICIQ),Tarragona (Spain). Prof. MiquelÀngelPericàsInstitutCatalàd’Investigació (Spain). Prof. ErnestGiraltDept.deQuímicaOrgànica,UB Catalunya (IQAC-CSIC),Barcelona(Spain). Prof. AmadeuLlebariaInstitutdeQuímicaAvançada de research centres Collaborations withother n n n n n n n techniques Scientific equipmentand

Molecular ImagingElectrochemicalSTM. Patch clampsetupwithHekaEPC10amplifier. Autolab potentiostat Multimode SPMNanoscopeIII(SCT-UB) Asylum ResearchMolecularForceProbe (STM) formolecularimaging Electrochemical scanningtunnellingmicroscope iMic molecularimagingsystem Research: Integrative Cell and Tissue Dynamics | 39

Integrative Cell and Tissue Dynamics

Group leader: Prof. Dr. Xavier Trepat Postdoctoral researcher: Dr. Elsa Bazellières, Dr. Vito Conte, Dr. Romaric Vincent PhD students: Ester Añón, Agustí Brugués, Laura Casares, Simón García, Xavier Serra Masters students: Sònia Pintor Technician: Maria Angeles Bintanel

Cell motility and tissue dynamics The ability of eukaryotic cells to migrate within living organisms underlies a wide range of phenomena in health and disease. When properly regulated, cell migration enables morphogenesis, host defense and tissue healing. When regulation fails, however, cell migration mediates devastating pathologies such as cancer, vascular disease and chronic inflammation. Our research focuses on understanding the fundamental biophysical mechanisms underlying migration both at the single cell level and at the tissue level. Cytoskeletal fragility With every beat of the heart, inflation of the lung or peristalsis of the gut, cell types of diverse function are subjected to substantial mechanical forces. How cells sense and respond to such forces underlies fundamental biological functions including differentiation, proliferation, polarization, locomotion, inva- sion, gene expression and pattern formation. We recently identified a new class of universal cellular Cellular Biophysics Biomechanics and responses to mechanical forces we termed “cytoskeletal fluidization” (Trepat et al (2007), Nature). The existence of this response class implies that the cytoskeleton of the living cell should no longer be regarded as a robust and stable scaffold but as a fragile one that is able to fluidize and quickly reorganize to adapt to its active mechanical environment. Our current research focuses on better understanding the functional implications of cytoskeletal fluidization and elucidating the underlying physical mechanisms.

Research projects n Study of the Physical Forces Driving Collective Cell Migration During Lung Epithelial Repair (2009-2012). PI: Xavier Trepat (managed by UB) n Physical Forces Driving Collective Cell Migration: From MICINN. Genes to Mechanism (2009-2014). PI: Xavier Trepat n Mechanics of Monolayer Migration (2011-2016). European Research Council IDEAS Starting Grants. Co-Investigator: Xavier Trepat (PI: Jeffrey Fredberg) National Institutes of Health (USA). Biomechanics and Cellular BiotechnologyCellular Biophysics 40 | Research:IntegrativeCellandTissue Dynamics Roberto MayorUniversityCollegeLondon(UK). Erik SahaiCancerResearch(UK). research centres Collaborations withother n n n n n Publications Cells migratingwithinasheetexhibitlargedynamicheterogeneities. ogy -CellPhysiology,300(1),C146-C154 enhanced physicalforces.AmericanJournalofPhysiol- ing promotesendothelialmonolayerdisruptionthrough van NieuwAmerongen,G.P. (2011).Substratestiffen- man, C.V., Brain,J.D.,Fredberg,J.,Butler, J.P. and K., Trepat, X.,vanBezu,J.,Hinsbergh,V. W. M.,Car National AcademyofSciences,108(12),4714-4719 dynamics ofcollectivecellmigration.Proceedingsthe M., Fredberg,J.andWeitz, D.A.(2011).Glass-like Trends inCellBiology,21(11),638-646 emergent dynamicsincollectivecellularmigration. intercellular forces.NatureMaterials,10(6),469-475 Trepat, X.(2011).Collectivecellguidancebycooperative man, M.H.,Butler, J.P., Weitz, D.A.,Fredberg,J.and dran, K.,Park,C.Y., Serra-Picamal,X.,Zhou,E. H.,Za-

Trepat, X.(2011).Forcingtumorarrest.Physics,4,85 Krishnan, R.,Klumpers,D.D.,Park,C.Y., Rajendran, Angelini, T. E.,Hannezo,Trepat, X.,Marquez, Trepat, X.andFredberg,J.(2011).Plithotaxis and Tambe, D.T., CoreyHardin,C.,Angelini,T. E.,Rajen- - (from toptobottom). cytoskeletal structure,intercellularstresses,andcell-substratetractions Our labhasdevelopedtechniquestosimultaneouslymapcellvelocities, Joaquim GeaHospitaldelMar, Barcelona(Spain). Barcelona (Spain). Julien ColombelliInstituteforResearchinBiomedicine, Barcelona (Spain). Eduard BatlleInstituteforResearchinBiomedicine, (Spain). Roger GuimeràUniveristatRoviraiVirgili,Tarragona Jeff FredbergHarvardUniversity, Boston(USA). Jim ButlerHarvardUniversity, Boston(USA). Benoit LadouxUniversitéParis7(France). n n n n n n n n techniques Scientific equipmentand

Traction microscopy Monolayer stressmicroscopy Magnetic Twisting Cytometry Magnetic Tweezers Live ConfocalMicrocopy Cell stretching Micro/Nano fabrication Soft Lithography Nanobioengineering Prof. Dr. Josep Samitier

Single Molecule Bionanophotonics (until July 2011) Prof. Dr. María García-Parajo

Nanoscale Bioelectrical Characterization Dr. Gabriel Gomila

Nanobiotechnology programme Cellular Cellular BiotechnologyNanobiotechnology 42 | Research:Nanobioengineering Sporer Busquets, Dr. ElenaMartínez,Dr. Christian Prieto, Dr. AnnaLagunas,Dr. JuanJoséValle Dr. AntoniHoms,Dr. PatriziaIavicoli,Dr. Beatriz to fourconvergentresearchlines: The projectscarriedoutbythegrouparefocusedonclinicalandindustrialproblemsrelated portable diagnosisdevicestoimplantableprosthesesforregenerativemedicinepurposes. technology andresultsobtainedinthelaboratoryareemployedmedicalapplicationsrangingfrom tions andforthedevelopmentofnewbiosensorsthatwillbeintegratedinlab-on-a-chipdevices.The the physicalandchemicalfunctionalizationofmaterialsforstudybiomoleculecellinterac- medical systemsanddevices,mainlyfordiagnosticpurposes.Themainactivitiesofthegroupinvolve molecular biology)andworkingtogetherinapplyingnanotechnologytothedevelopmentofnewbio- very diversebackgrounds(chemistry, physics,materialscience,electronicengineering,pharmacyand The Nanobioengineeringgroupisatrulymultidisciplinaryteamcomposedbyresearcherscomingfrom Technicians: PhD students: Postdoctoral researchers: Senior researchers: Group leader: Nanobioengineering Tahirbegi, PatriciaUrbán,RosaLetiziaZaffino Rodríguez, MartaSanmartí,MariliaBarreirosdosSantos,JoséLuisSebastián,IslamBogachan Del Moral,SabineOberhansl,AnaMªOliva,WilmerAlfonsoPardo,CésarAlejandroParra,Ivón Marques, SergioMartínez,ErnestMoles,Beatriz Teresa Galán,Verónica Hortigüela,Joana Castillo, JordiComelles,MaruxaEstévez,Mª Álvarez, HugoCaffaratti,CristinaCasas,Oscar • • • • 1. •

Polymer nanowires-basedbiosensors Olfactory receptor Aptamer Antibody-based sensorsfordetectionofpathogenicmicroorganisms DNA sensorsfordetectionofcancerbiomarkers Optical andelectrochemicalbiosensorsforclinicaldiagnosis MiriamFunes,DavidIzquierdo,Dr. ReyesMalavé,ÈliaSolà,Javier Soraluce JuanPabloAgusil,Manuel Prof. Dr. JosepSamitier -based sensorsfordetectionoftoxins Dr. XavierFernández -based sensorsfordetectionofodorantsandvolatilecompounds Dr. MònicaMir, andfoodsafetyapplications Research: Nanobioengineering | 43

Gold electrodes on PEN with a minimum feature size of 6 ± Representative fluorescence scanner image of an 1 m over a maximum substrate size of 10 cm in diameter. © a-PMMA protein microarray. DVT-IMP project.

2. Bio/non-bio interfaces and micro/nano-environments for biomedical studies and regenerative medicine applications • Design, production and characterization of micro/nanoenviroments with different biocompatible materials for cell behaviour studies (adhesion, proliferation, differentiation) • Design, production and characterization of scaffolds with a topography and chemical composi- tion controlled at the nanoscale for ocular and cardiac tissue regenerative therapies based on stem cells 3. Microfluidic systems for biological studies and lab-on-a-chip devices • Microfluidic chip for blood/plasma filtering

• Microfluidic chip using hydrodynamic focusing for bacteria counting and sorting Nanobiotechnology Cellular • Microfluidic chip for reagent handling in POC diagnosis devices 4. Nanotechnology applied to biomolecule interaction studies • Liposome-based nanovectors and nanoparticles for drug delivery • Magnetic nanoparticles–biomolecules interactions and their applications Cellular Cellular BiotechnologyNanobiotechnology 44 | Research:Nanobioengineering EU-FP7. Collaborative project(NMP)withintheframeworkof Technical Manager:GabrielGomila(seepage50) Coordinator: JosepSamitier(fortheUB) 2013). MICINN, I+D+iEuroinvestigación. IP: ElenaMartínez Pathogen Microorganisms(2009-2011). Improved MedicalDiagnosisofInfectionsCausedby MICINN, I+D+iEuroinvestigación. PI: JosepSamitier Breast CancerandHumanLeukemia(2009-2011). Delivery -CombinedTargeted Treatment againstHuman FP7. Collaborative project(ICT)withintheframeworkofEU- PI: JosepSamitier(managedbyUB) 2011). nostic ApplicationsatthePointofPrimaryCare(2008- FP7. Collaborative project(ICT)withintheframeworkofEU- PI: JosepSamitier(managedbyUB) ics ofEndoluminalSurgery(2008-2012). MICINN, ActividadInvestigadora CONSOLIDER. PI: XavierFernández-Busquets(managedbyPCB) (2006-2010). MICINN, Investigaciónfundamentalnoorientada. PI: ChristianSporer(managedbyUB) Study, Tag andActuateInsideLivingCells(2009-2011). MICINN, Investigaciónfundamentalnoorientada. IP: XavierFernández-Busquets liberación dirigidadeantimaláricos(2009-2011). MICINN, ACI-EMedicinaRegenerativa. PI: JosepSamitier madre paraelfallocardíaco(2009-2012). n n n n n n n n n Research projects

BONDBioelectronicOlfactoryNeuronDevice(2009- NANOMEDIAGNanobioanalyticalPlatformsfor ONCONANOTARGET AdvancingtheFieldofDrug THERAEDGEAnIntegratedPlatformEnablingThera- ARAKNESArrayofRobotsAugmentingtheKiNemat- NANOBIOMEDNanotecnologíasenbiomedicina MINAHE3Bio-FunctionalizationofMicronanotoolsto NANOMALARIADesarrollodenanovectoresparala CARDIO-STEMTerapias regenerativasconcélulas Proyectos deinvestigaciónensalud(FIS). MICINN, InstitutodeSaludCarlosIII.Subprograma PI: JosepSamitier(coordinator),ElenaMartinez ante nanobiosensoreshíbridosmultianalito(2011-2013). CENIT IndustrialprojectwithGenómica,S.A.U. Centro paraelDesarrolloTecnológico Industria(CDTI), PI: JosepSamitier(coordinatedbyPharmaMar) tratamientos (2009-2012). la predicciónderespuestayeldesarrollonuevos marcadores paraladeteccióndelcáncer, supronóstico, Industria delaCiencia. Centro paraelDesarrolloTecnológico Industria(CDTI), PI: JosepSamitier (AGAUR), ComunitatdeTreball delsPrineus(CTP). Agència deGestiód’AjutsUniversitarisiRecerca PI: BeatrizPrieto(coordinator) assesment (2011-2012) tivitats delsgrupsderecercaCatalunya(SGR2009). (AGAUR). Convocatòriad’ajutsperdonarsuportalesac- Agència deGestiód’AjutsUniversitarisiRecerca PI: JosepSamitier Fundación Botin. PI: JosepSamitier diagnostico yterapia(2009-2014). n n n n n n n Publications n n nanogel. Electrophoresis,32(18),2402-2409 Evidence formovementthrough a wall-adsorbedpolymer Electrokinetic DNAtransportin20 nm-highnanoslits: Samitier, J.,vandenBerg,A.andEijkel,J.C.T. (2011). van Nieuwkasteele,J.W., Bomer, J.G.,Arundell,M., repulsion setup.LabonaChip,11(7),1240-1248 on theirintrinsicpropertiesusingasimplediamagnetic N. (2011).Flowfocussingofparticlesandcellsbased A., Lutz,J.B.,Greenman,J.,Samitier, J.andPamme, Journal ofControlledRelease,151(2),202-211 infected versusnon-infectedredbloodcellsinvitro. nation fortargeteddeliverytoPlasmodiumfalciparum- quets, X.(2011).Ananovectorwithcompletediscrimi-

Diagnósticoypronósticodecáncerpróstatamedi- ONCOLOGICANuevasestrategiasbasadasenbio- LABINCHIP(2010-2012). DevelopmentofinnovativetoolsforOchratoxinArisk Grupderecercaconsolidat(2009-2013). Desarrollodestecnologiasenbionanomedicinapara Castillo-Fernandez, O.,Salieb-Beugelaar, G.B., Ivon Rodriguez-Villarreal,A.,Tarn, M.D.,Madden,L. Urbán, P., Estelrich,J.,Cortés, A.andFernàndez-Bus- Research: Nanobioengineering | 45

n Mir, M., Martinez-Rodriguez, S., Castillo-Fernandez, n Colomer-Farrarons, J., Miribel-Català, P. L., Rodríguez- O., Homs-Corbera, A. and Samitier, J. (2011). Electroki- Villarreal, A. I. and Samitier, J. (2011). Portable bio- netic techniques applied to electrochemical DNA biosen- devices: Design of electrochemical instruments from sors. Electrophoresis, 32 (8), 811-821 miniaturized to implantable devices. In New perspectives in biosensors technology and applications (ed. Andrea n Fernandez, J. G., Samitier, J. and Mills, C. A. (2011). Serra, P.), InTech, Rijeka, Croatia Simultaneous biochemical and topographical patterning on curved surfaces using biocompatible sacrificial molds. n Mir, M. (2011). Aptamers: The new biorecognition ele- Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A, 98A ment for proteomic biosensing. In Biochemistry Research (2), 229-234 Updates (ed. Baginski, S. J.), Nova Science Publishers, Inc., Hauppauge, USA n Rodriguez-Segui, S. A., Pons Ximenez, J. I., Sevilla, L., Ruiz, A., Colpo, P., Rossi, F., Martinez, E. and Samitier, J. (2011). Quantification of protein immobilization on substrates for cellular microarray applications. Journal of Collaborations with other Biomedical Materials Research Part A, 98A (2), 245-256 research centres n Urban, P., Estelrich, J., Adeva, A., Cortes, A. and Fernandez-Busquets, X. (2011). Study of the efficacy of Prof. M. Madou University of California, Irvine (USA). antimalarial drugs delivered inside targeted immunolipo- somal nanovectors. Nanoscale Research Letters, 6 (1), Dr. Max M. Burger Novartis AG, Basel (Switzerland) and 620 Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole (USA). n Tahirbegi, I. B. and Mir, M. (2011). Slit-wave model for Prof. E. Faszewski Wheelock College, Boston (USA). band structures in solid state physics. Modern Physics Prof. G. Fuhr FhG. Biomedicine, St. Ingbert (Germany). Letters B, 25 (3), 151-161 Prof. D. Anselmetti Bielefeld University (Germany). n Juanola-Feliu, E., Colomer-Farrarons, J., Miribel-Cata- la, P., Samitier, J. and Valls-Pasola, J. (2011). Challenges Prof. H. Börner Max-Planck Institute of Colloids and facing academic research in commercializing event- Interfaces, Golm (Germany). detector implantable devices for an in vivo biomedical subcutaneous device for biomedical analysis. VLSI Dr. Graham Johnson Uniscan Instruments Ltd, Buxton Circuits and Systems V, Prague, Czech Republic (UK). Imperial College, London (UK). n Valle-Delgado, J. J., Urban, P., Baro, E., Moles, E., Prof. Molly M. Stevens Marques, J., Samitier, J. and Fernandez-Busquets, X. Dr. Matthew Dalby University of Glasgow, Glasgow (UK). (2011). Probing the binding of Plasmodium falciparum- infected red blood cells to polysaccharides by force spec- Prof. Daniel Riveline ISIS/IGBMC, Strasbourg (France) troscopy. 7th European Congress on Tropical Medicine Prof. Andre Bernard MNT- NTB, Buchs (Switzerland) Nanobiotechnology Cellular and International Health, Barcelona, Spain Dr. Edith Pajot INRA, Jouy-en-Josas (France). n Colomer-Farrarons, J., Miribel-Català, P. L. and Sami- tier, J. (2011). Low-voltage µpower CMOS subcutaneous Dr. Christophe Vieu LAAS-CNRS, Toulouse (France). biomedical implantable device for true/false applications. Dr. Nicole Jaffrezic Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 IASTED International Conference Biomedical Engineering (France). (Biomed 2011), Innsbruck, Austria Prof. Jean-Louis Marty Université de Perpignan Via n Punter-Villagrasa, J., Colomer-Farrarons, J., Miribel- Domitia (France). Catala, P., Puig-Vidal, M. and Samitier, J. (2011). Discrete to full custom ASIC solutions for bioelectronic Prof. François Rossi JRC-Ispra (Italy). applications. VLSI Circuits and Systems V, Prague, Czech Prof. Paolo Dario SSSUP, Pisa (Italy). Republic Prof. M. Sampietro Politecnico di Milano (Italy). n Martinez, E. and Samitier, J. (2011). Soft lithography and variants. In Generating micro- and nanopatterns on Prof. L. Reggiani INFM, Nanotechnology Laboratory, polymeric materials (ed. del Campo, A. and Arzt, E.), 57- Lecce (Italy). 66, Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH, Weinheim Cellular Cellular BiotechnologyNanobiotechnology 46 | Research:Nanobioengineering Tallers FiestasS.L. Enantia S.L. Biokit S.A.(Werfen group) Genomica S.A.U.(Zeltiagroup) Industrial collaborations: Barcelona (Spain). Prof. RamónEritjaInstitutdeRecercaBiomédica(IRB), (Spain). Salud InternacionaldeBarcelona(CRESIB), Dr. Hernando delPortilloCentrodeInvestigaciónen Netherlands). Prof. AlbertvandenBergUniversityofTwente (The (Spain). Dr. JaumeReventósHospitalVall d’Hebrón,Barcelona Dr. JuanC.IzpisúaCMRB,Barcelona(Spain). Dr. MªPilarMarcoIIQAB-CSIC,Barcelona(Spain). Barcelona (Spain). Dr. M.LluisaPèrezDept.Farmacología,Universityof Prof. JoanBausellsCNM-CSIC,Barcelona(Spain). (Portugal). Prof. Vasco Teixeira UniversidadedoMinho,Braga n techniques Scientific equipmentand n n n

• • • • Nanofabrication andnanomanipulation • • • • Molecular/cell biology • • Microfluidics • • • • • • • • Characterization

chemical wetetching,e-beamevaporation polymer processingandphotolithography for hotembossinglithography Nanotechnology Platform(PCB):equipment Nanoplotter NPM Dip-Pen Nanolithographysystem(DPN) (custom-made) Automatized microcontactprintingsystem Nanodrop spectrophotometer Protein andDNAelectrophoresissystems Microwell platereaders Biological safetycabinet(classII) Peristaltic pumps High precisionsyringepumps Sub-femtoamp RemoteSourceMeterInstrument Precision ImpedanceAnalyzer Impedance spectroscopes Optical Microscopes(whitelight/epifluorescence) Atomic ForceMicroscope(AFM) Optical W Quartz crystalmicrobalance(QCM) Surface PlasmonResonance(SPR) aveguide LightmodeSpectroscope(OWLS) ,

Research: Single Molecule Bionanophotonics | 47

Single Molecule Bionanophotonics (until July 2011)

Group leader: Prof. Dr. María García-Parajo Postdoctoral researchers: Dr. Olga Esteban, Dr. Carlo Manzo PhD students: Gemma Pérez, Juan Andrés Torreño, Thomas van Zanten Technician: Merche Rivas

The Single Molecule Bionanophotonics group devotes its research activities to the development and application of cutting-edge optical techniques for the study of biological processes at the single molecular level and on living cells. Thus we aim to develop fluorescence techniques that combine high spatial and temporal resolution for the dual goals of probing and manipulating biological function at the level of single molecules in their native environment: the living cell. Nanoscale imaging on intact cell membranes is obtained using near-field optical microscopy (NSOM). We also generate strong nanoscale optical fields and superfocusing by fabrication of optical nano- antennas, tuned in resonance with the photon emitters. These nano-antenna probes scanned in controlled proximity to cell membranes allow optical resolution below 30nm. High temporal resolution is achieved using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) and Epi/Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRF) for single emitter tracking on living cells. Our aim is to elucidate fundamental biological questions that have important implications for health and disease. Topics that attract our attention in the biological arena are cell membrane Nanobiotechnology Cellular compartmentalization at the nanoscale, leukocyte adhesion mediated by integrin receptors and pathogen recognition by cells of the immune system. As highlights of our achievements in 2011 we demonstrated the feasibility of fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) based on the nanometric illumination of near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM) probes on intact living cells (Biophys. J. (2011), 100, L08). NSOM-FCS applied to fluorescent lipid analogs allowed us to reveal details of the diffusion hidden by larger illumination areas. Moreover, the technique offers the unique advantages of evanescent axial illumination and straightforward implementation of multiple colour excitation. In collaboration with the group of Prof. F. Sanz (page 36) we evaluated the potential of functional polyelectrolyte based nanoparticles as nanocarriers for lysosomal delivery of therapeutic proteins (Biomacromolecules (2011), 12, 2524). Using high- resolution fluorescence microscopy we characterized at the single particle level the binding, cellular uptake and successful delivery of these nanocarriers to lysosomal compartments. The Single Molecule Bionanophotonics group left IBEC in July 2011 and now continues its work at the Institut de Ciències Fotòniques (ICFO). Cellular Cellular BiotechnologyNanobiotechnology 48 | Research:SingleMoleculeBionanophotonics Fundació LaMaratódeTV3. d’Hebron) PI: MaríaGarcía-Parajo(coordinatedbytheHospitalVall ment therapyinFabrydisease(2010-2013). tivitats delsgrupsderecercaCatalunya(2009-2013). (AGAUR). Convocatòriad’ajutsperdonarsuportalesac- Agència deGestiód’AjutsUniversitarisiRecerca PI: MaríaGarcía-Parajo work ofEU-FP7. European NetworkofExcellence(NoE)withintheframe- PI: MaríaGarcía-Parajo(clusterpartner) tonics (2009-2012). the frameworkofEU-FP6. Marie CurieResearchTraining Network(MCRTN) within IBEC fellows:CarloManzo,ThomasvanZanten PI: MaríaGarcía-Parajo mune System(2007-2011). of ReceptorsControllingMolecularProcessestheIm- MICINN (MAT2010-19898). PI: MaríaGarcía-Parajo in theimmunesystem(2011). nanoscale force-inducedactivation ofadhesionreceptors n n n n n Research projects the membrane. the recordingoffluorescenceburstsarisingfromdiffusionlipidson NSOM locallyexcitesananometricregionofthecellmembraneallowing Artist’s impressionofhowasubwavelengthapertureprobeasusedin

Developmentofnanomedicinesforenzymaticreplace- SingleMoleculeBionanophotonics(2009-SGR-597). PHOTONICS4LIFENetworkofExcellenceforbiopho- IMMUNANOMAP. UnravelingtheNano-Landscape IMMU-NANO-FORCEMicropatternedbiomaterialsfor

n n n n n shows thesuccessfuluptakeofnanoparticles. labeled nanocarrierscontainingtheenzymeα-Gal(red).Theimage Confocal fluorescencemicrographofcellsincubatedwithAtto647N- ics Congress,Budapest,Hungary on intactcellmembranes.8thEBSAEuropeanBiophys- Direct mappingofnanoscalecompositional connectivity Buceta, J.,Reigada,R.andGarcia-Parajo,M.F. (2011). Hungary 8th EBSAEuropeanBiophysicsCongress,Budapest, copy onintactlivingcellmembraneswithNSOMprobes. F. (2011).Nanoscalefluorescencecorrelationspectros- ecules, 12(7),2524-2533 lysosomal deliveryoftherapeuticproteins.Biomacromol- ride-based polyelectrolytecomplexesasnanocarriersfor M. F. andSanz,F. (2011).pH-Responsivepolysaccha- Biophysical Journal,100(2),L8-L10 copy onintactlivingcellmembraneswithNSOMprobes. F. (2011).Nanoscalefluorescencecorrelationspectros- dendritic cells.Traffic, 12(12),1702-1713 of cell-freeandcell-associatedviralcaptureinmature M. F. andMartinez-Picado,J.(2011).Dynamicimaging M. T., Erkizia,I.,Prado,J.G.,Blanco,J.,Garcia-Parajo, Publications

van Zanten,T. S.,Gomez,J.,Manzo,C.,Cambi,A., Manzo, C.,vanZanten,T. S.andGarcia-Parajo,M. Giannotti, M.I.,Esteban,O.,Oliva,M.,Garcia-Parajo, Manzo, C.,vanZanten,T. S.andGarcía-Parajo, M. Izquierdo-Useros, N.,Esteban,O.,Rodriguez-Plata, Research: Single Molecule Bionanophotonics | 49

n van Zanten, T. S. and Garcia-Parajo, M. F. (2011). Scientific equipment and Near-field scanning optical microscopy of biological membranes. In Life at the Nanoscale: Atomic Force techniques Microscopy of Live Cells (ed. Dufrene, Y.). Pan Stanford Publishing Pte Ltd, Singapore, 185-207 n Aperture type near-field optical microscopy (NSOM) working under aqueous conditions n Single-molecule-detection-sensitive scanning confocal Collaborations with other microscopy: imaging, polarization, and wavelength research centres sensitive n Dual-colour wide-field/TIRF fluorescence microscopy Prof. Carl G. Figdor Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life equipped with dual colour detection (EM-CCD camera) Sciences (NCMLS), Nijmegen (The Netherlands). and environmental chamber for live cell experiments Prof. Peter Hinterdorfer Biophysics Institute, Johannes n Multi-parametric single-molecule confocal (Microtime Kepler University, Linz (Austria). 200) combined with epi-TIRF excitation and dual colour detection (EM-CCD camera) and liquid Prof. Vincenzo Cerundolo Weatherall Institute of Molecu- cell, temperature and CO2-controlled for live cell lar Medicine, University of Oxford (UK). experiments Prof. Vinod Subramaniam BPE group, University of n Lasers: several helium-neon (He-Ne), argon/krypton Twente (The Netherlands). (Ar/Kr+), ps-lasers Prof. Niek van Hulst Institut de Ciències Fotòniques (ICFO), Barcelona (Spain). Prof. Jennifer Herek Optical Sciences group, MESA+, University of Twente (The Netherlands). Dr. Javier Martínez-Picado IrsiCaixa Foundation, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona (Spain). Nanobiotechnology Cellular Cellular Cellular BiotechnologyNanobiotechnology 50 | Research:NanoscaleBioelectricalCharacterization EU COSTActionTD1002. Member) PI: GabrielGomila(ManagementCommitteeSubstitute ences (2010-2015). of AtomicForceMicroscopytoNanoMedicineandLifeSci- MICINN (TEC2010-16844). PI: GabrielGomila bioelectric studiesinsinglebacteriacells(2011-2013). Martin Edwards lipid bilayersstableinairtobeusedasmodelsystems. receptors ontosolidsupportsforbiosensorapplications,andinpreparingheterogeneoussupported to liquidenvironments,inunderstandingtheadsorptionofnaturalnanovesiclescontainingolfactory Moreover, wehaveadvancedsignificantlyinextendingquantitativeelectrostaticforcemicroscopy analysis ofthenanoscaledielectricpropertiessinglebacteriaandnanoparticles. biosystems withnon-planargeometries.Ongoingworkinadvancedstagesofdevelopmentincludesthe During 2011wehaveextendedtheapplicabilityofquantitativeelectrostaticforcemicroscopyto characterization methodsandofelectronicbiosensors. and singlecells).Ourmainobjectiveistocontributethedevelopmentofnewlabel-freebiological properties ofbiologicalsamplesatthenanoscale(forexample,biomembranes,singlebiomolecules microscopy andtheoreticalframeworksenablingustomeasureunderstandtheelectrical The maingoalofourresearchgroupistodevelopnewexperimentalsetupsbasedonatomicforce Masters student: PhD students: Postdoctoral researchers: Senior researcher: Group leader: Characterization Nanoscale Bioelectrical n n Research projects Georg Gramse

AFM4NanoMed&BioEuropeannetworkonapplications ELECTROBACTERIANanotoolsandnanotechniquesfor Dr. GabrielGomila Aurora Dols-Pérez,DanielEsteban, PaymanMosaffa Dr. LauraFumagalli Dr. AnnalisaCalò,Dr. MEC–Generalitat deCatalunya,Programa I3. PI: GabrielGomila(underUB) gación (2008-2010). Collaborative project(NMP)withintheframeworkofEU-FP7. Coordinator: JosepSamitier(fortheUB;seepage34) Technical Manager:GabrielGomila 2013). n n

Ayuda paralaintensificacióndeactividadinvesti- BONDBioelectronicOlfactoryNeuronDevice(2009- Research: Nanoscale Bioelectrical Characterization | 51

Topographic atomic force microscopy image of a spin coated DOPC Topographic atomic force microscopy image of two natural membrane lipid layer on a mica substrate stable in dry air environment. We nanovesicles adsorbed on a glass substrate and imaged under physiological have demonstrated that the background in the image corresponds buffer. The membrane nanovesicles were obtained from the disruption of yeast to a single lipid monolayer around 1.3 nm thick, while the patches cells expressing olfactory receptors. We have demonstrated that nanovesicles correspond to an inverted lipid bilayer around 4.5 nm thick. upon adsorption on the substrate flatten to an aspect ration around 0.1 but remain closed.

Publications Prof. Marco Sampietro Laboratorio di Strumentazione Analogica e Materiali Polimerici, Politecnico di Milano (Italy). n Dols-Perez, A., Fumagalli, L., Cohen Simonsen, A. and Gomila, G. (2011). Ultrathin spin-coated dioleoylphos- Dr. Adriana Gil Nanotec Electronica SL, Madrid (Spain). phatidylcholine lipid layers in dry conditions: A combined atomic force microscopy and nanomechanical study. Prof. Lino Reggiani National Nanotechnology Laboratory, Langmuir, 27 (21), 13165-13172 Universita dil Salento, Lecce (Italy).

Collaborations with other Scientific equipment and Nanobiotechnology Cellular research centres techniques

n Prof. Adam Cohen Simonsen Department of Physics and Portable electrochemical interface and impedance Chemistry, University of Southern Denmark (Denmark). analyser (Ivium Technologies, CompactStat) n Prof. Jose L. Carrascosa Department of Structure of Digital lock-in amplifier (Zurich Instruments HF2LI) Macromolecules, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, n Two digital 4-phase Lock-In amplifiers (Anfatec Madrid (Spain). eLockIn204) Prof. Joan Bausells Centro Nacional de n Two Atomic Force Microscopes fully customized for Microelectrónica–CSIC, Barcelona (Spain). DC and AC electric current and electrostatic force Prof. Edith Pajot-Augy Neurobiologie de l’olfaction et detection (Nanotec Electronica S.L.) la prise alimentaire, Institut National de la Recherche n Sub-femtoAmp remote sourcemeter (Keithley 6430) Agronomique, Jouy-en-Josas (France). n Optical Microscope (Zeiss AxioImager) Dr. Manel Puig Departament d’Electrònica, University of

Barcelona (Spain). n Atomic Force Microscope for imaging and electrostatic force detection (Nanosurf easyScan 2) Cellular Biotechnology Biomaterials, implants andtissue engineering programme Molecular DynamicsatCell– Bio/Non-Bio Interactionsfor Regenerative Medicine Biomaterial Interface Biomechanics and Prof. Dr. GeorgeAltankov Prof. Dr. JosepA.Planell Mechanobiology Dr. DamienLacroix Research: Bio/non-bio Interactions for Regenerative Medicine | 53

Bio/non-bio Interactions for Regenerative Medicine

Group leader: Prof. Dr. Josep A. Planell Senior researcher: Dr. Elisabeth Engel, Dr. Oscar Castaño, Dr. Miguel Angel Mateos, Dr. Melba Navarro PhD students: Zaida Álvarez, Arlyng González, Riccardo Levato, Marta Mattotti, Xavier Puñet, Nadège Sachot, Aitor Sánchez, Tiziano Serra Masters students: Laura Corredor, Juan Crespo, Daniel García, José Luís García Undergraduates: Nunzia Di Luise, David Miranda Nieves, Laia Gil, Marina Tantinyà, Joaquim Viñes Technicians: Belén González Visitors: Catarina Almeida, Aurelio Salerno, Jong Eun Won

The research activities of the Bio/non-bio Interactions for Regenerative Medicine group are focused on the development of new biomaterials for tissue regeneration. Bioactive and biodegradable materials are studied and both fundamental and applied knowledge on their interactions with biological entities are developed to enable tissue engineering, which consists of the repair and the functional restoration of tissues or organs by means of 3D scaffolds, cells and signals. In order to fulfil its scientific strategy, the research group masters its own fabrication techniques of 3D scaffolds with tailored geometry and mechanical properties, as well as its own methods of surface functionalization with different biochemical cues to signal the biological environment. It also has the capacity to isolate and culture stem and precursor cells for the in vitro biological characterization of scaffolds and the development of tissue engineered constructs. and tissue engineering Biomaterials, implants In 2011, important progress was made in all these topics. The group advanced in the synthesis of new materials; in particular, blended bioactive ormoglass/polylactic acid hybrids with both angiogenic and osteogenic potential were obtained. Regarding the fabrication of 3D scaffolds, electrospun polymer fibres with covalently bonded bioactive coatings were achieved. New protocols for the fabrication of rapid prototyping (RP) scaffolds with well-defined and reproducible architectures were set for various polymers. In addition, a new method to fabricate biodegradable micro- and nanoparticles without involving toxic chemicals was successfully accomplished, and a functionalisation method was developed to introduce biomolecules to the surface of nanofibers, RP scaffolds and microparticles in order to provide cells with the right signals. The combination of these controlled manufacturing processes, together with biofuncionalisation, has been tuned for different clinical applications such as ophthal- mology, the nervous system, skin and bone. Biomaterials, implants Cellular Biotechnologyand tissue engineering 54 | Research:Bio/non-bioInteractionsforRegenerativeMedicine to hybridelectrospunfibres. Biofunctionalized rapidprototypingscaffold(left);ratmesenchymalstemcellsspreadonpolymericmicroparticles(centre) ; ratmesenchymalstemcellsattached Three-dimensional biodegradableRapidPrototypingscaffold(left);polymericmicroparticles(centre);hybridelectrospunnanofibres(right). regeneration oftissuesororgans. of thegroup,whosestrengthliesindevelopmentsmartbiomaterialstoachieveasuccessful terials forRegenerativeTherapiesgroup.Thenewnamebetterreflectstheaimsandscientificstrategy From 2012theBio/Non-BioInteractionsforRegenerativeMedicinegroupwillbeknownasBioma- formation. implanted inratsbraincortexwerefoundtosupportneuroncollonizationandpromotecapillary and up-regulationofkeygenesonbonevesselsformationwasshown.ElectrospunPLAfibres and differentiationwasdemonstrated.Inparticular, thestimulationofangiogenesisandosteogenesis In thebiologicalfield,effectofbiomaterials’ionicreleaseonprogenitorcellshoming,proliferation Research: Bio/non-bio Interactions for Regenerative Medicine | 55

Research projects Publications n ANGIOSCAFF Highly Porous Bioactive Scaffolds Con- n Gustavsson, J., Ginebra, M. P., Engel, E. and Planell, trolling Angiogenesis for Tissue Engineering (2008-2012). J. (2011). Ion reactivity of calcium-deficient hydroxyapa- PI: Josep A. Planell tite in standard cell culture media. Acta Biomaterialia, 7 Other group leaders involved: Damien Lacroix (page 60) (12), 4242-4252 Collaborative project within the framework of EU-FP7. n Perut, F., Montufar, E. B., Ciapetti, G., Santin, M., n DISC REGENERATION Novel Biofunctional High Salvage, J., Traykova, T., Planell, J. A., Ginebra, M. P. Porous Polymer Scaffolds and Techniques Controlling and Baldini, N. (2011). Novel soybean/gelatine-based Angiogenesis for the Regeneration and Repair of the bioactive and injectable hydroxyapatite foam: Material Degenerated Intervertebral Disc (2008-2012). properties and cell response. Acta Biomaterialia, 7 (4), PI: Josep A. Planell 1780-1787 Other group leaders involved: Damien Lacroix (page 60) n Noailly, J., Planell, J. and Lacroix, D. (2011). On the Collaborative project within the framework of EU-FP7. collagen criss-cross angles in the annuli fibrosi of lumbar n BIOFUSS Materiales biofuncionalizados para repar- spine finite element models. Biomechanics and Modeling ación y regeneración de tejidos (2009-2011). in Mechanobiology, 10 (2), 203-219 PI: Josep A. Planell n Rodríguez-Hernández, A., Juárez, A., Engel, E. and Other group leaders involved: Damien Lacroix (page 60) Gil, F. (2011). Streptococcus sanguinis adhesion on MICINN, Investigación fundamental no orientada. titanium rough surfaces: effect of shot-blasting particles. n Evaluación biológica de materiales bioactivos, bio- Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine, 22 miméticos y multifuncionales para la regeneración ósea (8), 1-10 (2010-2012). n Pegueroles, M., Aguirre, A., Engel, E., Pavon, G., Gil, PI: Elisabeth Engel F. J., Planell, J. A., Migonney, V. and Aparicio, C. (2011). MICINN, Investigación fundamental no orientada. Effect of blasting treatment and Fn coating on MG63 n Grup de recerca consolidat (2009-2013). adhesion and differentiation on titanium: a gene expres- PI: Josep A. Planell sion study using real-time RT-PCR. Journal of Materials Agència de Gestió d’Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca Science-Materials in Medicine, 22 (3), 617-627 (AGAUR). Convocatòria d’ajuts per donar suport a les ac- n Montufar, E. B., Traykova, T., Planell, J. A. and Gine- tivitats dels grups de recerca de Catalunya (SGR 2009). bra, M.-P. (2011). Comparison of a low molecular weight n VALOR Development of a wound dressing for the treat- and a macromolecular surfactant as foaming agents for ment of vascular ulcers that promotes revascularization injectable self setting hydroxyapatite foams: Polysorbate and tissue regeneration (2011-2013). 80 versus gelatine. Materials Science and Engineering: C, and tissue engineering Biomaterials, implants PI: Melba Navarro 31 (7), 1498-1504 Agència de Gestió d’Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca n Serra, T., Navarro, M. and Planell, J. (2011). Fabrica- (AGAUR). Ajuts destinats a incentivar els projectes i tion and characterization of biodegradable composite les activitats de valorització de recerca i de tecnología scaffolds for tissue engineering. In Innovative Develop- (VALOR 2010). ments in Virtual and Physical Prototyping: Proceedings of n Study of the in vitro inflammatory response of biode- the 5th International Conference on Advanced Research gradable scaffolds for tissue engineering (2011-2013). in Virtual and Rapid Prototyping. (ed. Bartolo, P. J.), CRC PI: Melba Navarro Press, Leira, Portugal MICINN, Acción Integrada (Portugal). Biomaterials, implants Cellular Biotechnologyand tissue engineering 56 | Research:Bio/non-bioInteractionsforRegenerativeMedicine Istituto Dermatologicodell’Immacolata (IDI),Rome(Italy). Prof. FrancescoSerinoDepartmentofVascular Surgery, Biomédica (INEB),Oporto(Portugal). Dr. MárioBarbosaInstitutoNacionaldeEngenharia lona (Spain). Dr. ÁlvaroMataPCBNanotechnologyPlatform,Barce- de CatalunyaandCSIC,Barcelona(Spain). Dr. JerónimoBlancoInstitutdeCiènciesCardiovasculars Complutense deMadrid(Spain). Dr. MaríaVallet RegíFacultaddeFarmacia,Universidad sada, UniversidaddeValladolid (Spain). Dr. Matilde Alonso Dept. de Física de la Materia Conden- (Spain). Facultad deMedicina,UniversidadAlcaláHenares Dr. Julia BujánDept.deCienciasMorfológicasyCirugía, lejo, LaCoruña(Spain). Dr. Francisco BlancoComplejoUniversitarioJuanCana- many). Forschung undBiomechanik,UniversityofUlm(Ger- Dra. AnitaIgnatiusInstitutfürUnfallchirurgische (IOBA), UniversidaddeValladolid (Spain). Dr. Margarita CalongeInstituteofOphthalmobiology (I3A), UniversidaddeZaragoza(Spain). Materials Modelling,InstituteofEngineeringResearch Dr. Manuel DoblaréGroupofStructuralMechanicsand Polymer ScienceandTechnology, CSIC,Madrid(Spain). Dr. Julio SanRománDept.ofBiomaterials,Institute (Spain). Dr. Juan RojoUniversidadComplutensedeMadrid Materia Condensada,UniversidaddeValladolid (Spain). Dr. José CarlosRodríguez-CabelloDept.deFísicala Polytechnique FédéraledeLausanne(Switzerland). Dr. Jeffrey HubbellInstituteofBioengineering,École Sciences, UniversityofBrighton(UK). Dr. MateoSantinSchoolofPharmacyandBiomolecular Biomateriali, UniversitàdiNapoli(Italy). Dr. LuigiAmbrosioCentrodiRecercaInterdipartimental ral, IDIBELL,UniversityofBarcelona(Spain). Dr. SoledadAlcántaraGrupdeDesenvolupamentNeu- Dr. JoelleAmedeeINSERM,Bordeaux(France). research centres Collaborations withother UPV) (Spain). Materials Group,UniversityoftheBasqueCountry(EHU- José RamónSarasuaBiopolymersandThermoplastics Genética yFisiología,UniversidaddeMálaga(Spain). Dr. José AntonioAndradesGómezDept.BiologíaCelular, Fisiología, UniversidaddeMálaga(Spain). Dr. José BecerraRatiaDept.BiologíaCelular, Genéticay ogy (Poland). ence &Engineering,WUTWarsaw UniversityofTechnol- Dr. Małgorzata LewandowskaFacultyofMaterialsSci- Biala (Poland). Polymer Materials,UniversityofBielsko-Biala,Bielsko- Dr. IzabellaRajzerInstituteofTextile Engineeringand Korea). gineering (ITREN),DankookUniversity, Cheonan(South Prof. Hae-Won KimInstituteofTissue RegenerationEn- of Liverpool(UK). Dr. NickRhodesDept.ofClinicalEngineering,University Gutenberg University, Mainz(Germany). Prof. JamesKirkpatrickInstituteofPathology, Johannes n n n n n n n n n n n n techniques Scientific equipmentand

ElectroForce® BioDynamic®test instrument Ion selectiveelectrodesforCa Vibrational viscosimeter Spin-coater Electrospinning device Combustion furnace Peptide synthetiser Rapid prototypingtool Thermocycler (PCR) electrophoresis Molecular Biologyequipment:proteinandDNA Cell culturefacilities potential, quartzcrystalmicrobalance,nanoindenter) Surface characterizationequipment(contactangle,Z 2+ , Na + , K + , andpH Research: Molecular Dynamics at Cell-Biomaterial Interface | 57

Molecular Dynamics at Cell-Biomaterial Interface

Group leader: Prof. Dr. George Altankov Postdoctoral researchers: Marco Cantini, Johan Gustavson PhD students: Dencho Milkov Gugutkov, Nuno Miranda Guerra Coelho, Georgi Toromanov Undergraduate: Ulrich Spengler Technician: Olga Zhukova Visitor: Gianvito Lovero

What cells recognize, secret and remodel at the biomaterials interface is the provisional extracellular matrix. How it relates to the biocompatibility of materials and how we can control these processes from the materials site is the main topic of our research. We aim to control matrix protein remodelling at the cell-material interface by engineering the material properties. We perform systematic studies in the following directions: • Materials surface driven assembly of ECM proteins at the nanoscale; • Cellular interaction with biomimetic nanostructures and networks; • Electrospinning of nanofibres from natural and synthetic polymers for guiding cellular behaviour; • Remodeling of ECM proteins at cell-biomaterials interface; • Integrin dynamics. and tissue engineering Biomaterials, implants ECM remodelling occurs in various physiological and pathological processes, such as normal development, wound healing and angiogenesis, but also in atherosclerosis, fibrosis, ischemic injury and cancer. It consists of two fundamental processes, assembly and degradation. ECM organisation at the biomaterial interface depends on the allowance of cells to rearrange adsorbed matrix proteins; we anticipated that materials that bind proteins loosely will support the arrangement of a provisional ECM. However, the ECM undergoes also proteolytic degradation, which is a physiological mechanism for the removal of excess ECM. Even though matrix remodelling is a subject of extensive biomedical research, the way it is related to the biocompatibility of materials is poorly understood. Recently we have employed distinct silane chemistries and polymer compositions to create model substrates with tailored density of OH, COOH, NH2 and CH3 groups, thus varying in their chemistry, charge and hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance. In a series of communications combining AFM and other nanoindentation techniques, we have described a novel phenomenon of substratum-driven protein assembly depicting the fate of various matrix proteins such as fibronectin, collagen IV, vitronectin and fibrinogen at the above model Biomaterials, implants Cellular Biotechnologyand tissue engineering 58 | Research:MolecularDynamicsatCell-BiomaterialInterface (EULANEST). American NetworkforScienceandTechnology MICINN, ProyectosInternacionales,European-Latin PI: GeorgeAltankov Engineering ofCartilageandBone(2010-). n Research projects morphology, respectively(Gugutkovetal,2011). in endothelialcells,whichacquireeitherstelate(c)orelongated(d) or aligned(b).Itwasshownthattheyinducedistinctfunctionalresponse Novel typeofhybridPLA-fibrinogennanofibresdepositedasrandom(a)

FIBROGELBioinspiredNanofibrousGelfor Tissue purpose. from somenatural(fibrinogen)andsynthetic(PLA)polymerssuccessfullyemployedthemforthis nanofibres mightbeusedforguidingthecellularbehaviour;thereforeweelectrospun and afascinatingpossibilityistomakenanofibres. We furtheranticipatedthattheorganizationof engineering thematerialproperties.Onotherhand,proteinscanformobjectsofvariousshapes, both theassemblyanddegradationofproteins;weaimtoobtainacontrolonECMremodellingby biomaterials interfaces.We showthatwithvaryingthedensityofchemicalfunctionswecantailor MICINN, Investigaciónfundamentalnoorientada. PI: GeorgeAltankov matriz enlainterfasecélula-material(2009-2012). n et al,2011). the alterationsinfocaladhesioncomplexesonCOOH(Evs.F)(Coelho the singlecellsarestainedsimultaneouslyforactinandvinculintoshow adhering for2hoursonthesamesubstrata(Cvs.D).Onlowerpanel The middlepanelrepresentstheoverallmorphologyofendothelialcells that increasefromlefttoright.Adsorptionconcentrationis50mg/ml. model surfaces.Theyareshownontheupperpanelintwomagnifications AFM imagesofadsorbedcollagentypeIVonNH2(A)andCOOH(B)

MATIX DYNAMICSDinámicadelasproteínasla Research: Molecular Dynamics at Cell-Biomaterial Interface | 59

Publications Collaborations with other n Miranda Coelho, N., Gonzalez-Garcia, C., Salmeron- research centres Sanchez, M. and Altankov, G. (2011). Arrangement of type IV collagen on NH(2) and COOH functionalized National University of La Plata (Argentina). surfaces. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 108 (12), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). 3009-3018 Center for Biomaterials, Technical University of Valencia n Hristova, K., Pecheva, E., Pramatarova, L. and (Spain). Altankov, G. (2011). Improved interaction of osteoblast- like cells with apatite-nanodiamond coatings depends on Bulgarian Academy of Sciences: Institute for Biophysics fibronectin. Journal of Materials Science - Materials in and Institute of Solid State Physics, Sofia (Bulgaria). Medicine, 22 (8), 1891-1900 Institute of Pharmacy, Martin Luther University, Halle n Perez, R. A., Del Valle, S., Altankov, G. and Ginebra, (Saale) (Germany). M. P. (2011). Porous hydroxyapatite and gelatin/hydroxyapatite microspheres obtained by calcium phos- phate cement emulsion. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part B-Applied Biomaterials, 97B (1), 156-166 Scientific equipment and n Miranda Coelho, N., Gonzalez-Garcia, C., Salmeron- techniques Sanchez, M. and Altankov, G. (2011). Arrangement of type IV collagen and laminin on substrates with con- n Facilities for cell culturing trolled density of -OH groups. Tissue Engineering Part A, n Universal fluorescent microscope for performing 17 (17-18), 2245-2257 dynamic studies with living cells n Gugutkov, D., Gonzalez-Garcia, C., Altankov, G. and n Flow chamber for measuring the strength of cell Salmeron-Sanchez, M. (2011). Fibrinogen organiza- adhesion tion at the cell-material interface directs endothelial cell behavior. Journal of Bioactive and Compatible Polymers, n Electrospinning device for production of nanofibres 26 (4), 375-387 from various natural and synthetic polymers n Complete chromatographic and electrophoretic equipment and tissue engineering Biomaterials, implants Biomaterials, implants Cellular Biotechnologyand tissue engineering 60 | Research:BiomechanicsandMechanobiology project startedinOctober2011and willlastfiveyears. (MECHANOBIO ERC-2010-StG_20091028) onfiniteelementsimulationsoftissueengineering.This Finally, during2011DamienLacroixwasawardedaEuropean ResearchCouncilStartingGrant element modelandinthestudy of theeffectmicrofluidicflowoncellattachment. In theareaofcellmechanics,progresshasbeenmadeindevelopmentasinglefinite disc wasdevelopedtostudytheireffectondegeneration(PLOSComputationalBiology 7,81-12). coupling betweenmechanicalloadingandsolutes(oxygenlactate) transportintheintervertebral discs wasperformed(J.MechanicalBehaviorofBiomedicalMaterials 4, 1234-1241). For the first time comparison offourmethodstosimulateswellinginporoelasticfiniteelementmodelsintervertebral of lumbarspinewasstudied(BiomechanicsandModelinginMechanobiology 10,203-219).A In spinebiomechanicstheeffectofchangescollagencriss-crossanglesinannulifibrosi procedure ofaprosthetictransfemoralsocket(AnnalsBiomedicalEngineering 39,2972-2983). (J. Orth.Res.29,1496-1503)andstudiedforthefirsttimestressdistr ibution inthedonning work inorthopaedicsthegroupsuccessfullypredictedfracture healingina3Dmodelofthetibia calcium phosphatescaffold(BiomechanicsandModelinginMechanobiology 10,465-476).Related A newmicro-finiteelementstudyofanirregularscaffoldwasalsoabletopredicttissueformationina (Acta Biomateriala7,478-484). highlighted theimportanceoflocalstimuliinsteadlookingatglobalporesizedistribution scaffolds couldberelatedtoinvitrocelladhesion(Biomaterials32,2878-2884).Thismajorresult computational fluiddynamicsstudyhasshownthattheshearstressdistributioninwallof collaborative studyofcelladhesioninrapidprototypingscaffoldswhichourgroupdevelopeda In 2011,majorprogresswasmadeinalltheseareasofinterest.tissueengineering,anintegrative element methodarecomplementedwithinvitrotestsusingbioreactorsandmicrofluidicchambers. biomechanics, tissue engineering and cell mechanics. These numerical simulations based on the finite mechanobiology. Thecurrentfocusofthegroupismainlyondevelopmentsimulationsinspine in simulationsofvitroandvivobiomechanicsmechanobiologyexperimental mechanical stimulionbiologicalresponse.Thegroup’s objectiveistomakescientificadvancements The focusoftheBiomechanicsandMechanobiologyresearchgroupisstudyeffect Technicians: Masters students: PhD students: Postdoctoral researchers: Group leader: Mechanobiology Biomechanics and Themis Toumanidou Malandrino, AndyOlivares,CarlosRuiz,ClaraSandino, Sánchez, NataliaValencia RafaelLópez Dr. DamienLacroix Sara Barreto,AuraMaríaCardona,Andrea Edouard Fulchin,AntonioJosé Jérôme Noailly, CécilePerrault Research: Biomechanics and Mechanobiology | 61

Simulation of cells flowing in the cell medium and attaching on the scaffold. Distributions of the interdependent oxygen and lactate concentrations in the intervertebral disc.

Research projects n Virtual Physiological Human NoE (2008-2011). PI: Damien Lacroix (cluster partner) European NoE within the framework of EU-FP7. n MySpine Functional prognosis simulation of patient- specfic spinal treatment for clinical use (2011-2014) n Estudio micromecánico por elementos finitos de la PI: Damien Lacroix columna lumbar (2009-2010). Collaborative project within the framework of EU-FP7. PI: Damien Lacroix MICINN, Acciones Integradas. n MECHANOBIO Finite element simulations of mechanobiology in tissue engineering (2011-2016) n Biomechanical study of coxarthrosis in young adults PI: Damien Lacroix (2010-2011). European Research Council Starting Grant. PI: Damien Lacroix Funded project with Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona. n ANGIOSCAFF Highly Porous Bioactive Scaffolds Con- trolling Angiogenesis for Tissue Engineering (2008-2012). Damien Lacroix (PI: Josep A. Planell) and tissue engineering Biomaterials, implants Collaborative project within the framework of EU-FP7. Publications n DISC REGENERATION Novel Biofunctional High n Melchels, F. P. W., Tonnarelli, B., Olivares, A. L., Mar- Porous Polymer Scaffolds and Techniques Controlling tin, I., Lacroix, D., Feijen, J., Wendt, D. J. and Grijpma, Angiogenesis for the Regeneration and Repair of the D. W. (2011). The influence of the scaffold design on the Degenerated Intervertebral Disc (2008-2012). distribution of adhering cells after perfusion cell seeding. Damien Lacroix (PI: Josep A. Planell) Biomaterials, 32 (11), 2878-2884 Collaborative project within the framework of EU-FP7. n Malandrino, A., Noailly, J. and Lacroix, D. (2011). The n BIOFUSS Materiales biofuncionalizados para repar- effect of sustained compression on oxygen metabolic ación y regeneración de tejidos (2009-2011). transport in the intervertebral disc decreases with degen- Damien Lacroix (PI: Josep A. Planell) erative changes. Plos Computational Biology, 7 (8), 1-12 MICINN, Investigación fundamental no orientada. n Bohner, M., Loosli, Y., Baroud, G. and Lacroix, D. n SEVBIOM Mechanistic and Evolutive Development of (2011). Commentary: Deciphering the link between Spine Biomechanical Modelling (2009-2011). architecture and biological response of a bone graft PI: Damien Lacroix substitute. Acta Biomaterialia, 7 (2), 478-484 Fellow: Jérôme Noailly Marie Curie Action (ERG) within the framework of EU- FP7. Biomaterials, implants Cellular Biotechnologyand tissue engineering 62 | Research:BiomechanicsandMechanobiology n (Spain). Dr IgnacioProubastaHospitaldeSantPau,Barcelona Disorders, Budapest(Hungary). Prof. PéterPálVarga NationalCenterforSpinal Barcelona (Spain). Prof. AlejandroFrangiUniversitatPompeuFabra, Barcelona (Spain). Dr. Màrius Valera HospitaldelaSantaCreuiSantPau, research centres Collaborations withother n n n n 39 (12),2972-2983 Transfemoral Socket.AnnalsofBiomedicalEngineering , Element AnalysisofDonningProcedureaProsthetic (10), 1496-1503 modeling approach.JournalofOrthopaedicResearch,29 Mechanoregulation ofcellactivityusingalattice (2011). Simulationoffracturehealinginthetibia: 565-576 Biomechanics andModelinginMechanobiology,10(4), a CaPscaffoldbasedonmicro-CTfiniteelementmodels. of themechanicalstimuliandtissuedifferentiationwithin in Mechanobiology,10(2),203-219 spine finiteelementmodels.BiomechanicsandModeling collagen criss-crossanglesintheannulifibrosioflumbar (7), 1234-1241 of theMechanicalBehaviorBiomedicalMaterials,4 tic finiteelementmodelsofintervertebraldiscs.Journal parison offourmethodstosimulateswellinginporoelas- Lacroix, D.,Wilke,H.J.andShirazi-Adl,A.(2011).Com-

Galbusera, F., Schmidt,H.,Noailly, J.,Malandrino,A., Lacroix, D.andRamirezPatino,J.F. (2011).Finite Byrne, D.P., Lacroix,D.andPrendergast,P. J. Sandino, C.andLacroix,D.(2011).Adynamicalstudy Noailly, J.,Planell,J.andLacroix,D.(2011).Onthe Bioengineering, Trinity College(Ireland). Prof. PatrickPrendergastTrinity Centrefor (Germany). Research andBiomechanics,UniversityofUlm Prof. Hans-JoachimWilke InstituteofOrthopaedic Eindhoven (TheNetherlands). Prof. KeitaItoEindhovenUniversityofTechnology, of Technology, Compiègne(France). Prof. Marie-ChristineHoBaThoCompiègneUniversity Naples (Italy). Biomedical Materials,NationalResearchCouncilofItaly, Prof. LuigiAmbrosioInstituteofCompositeand Prof. RalphMuellerETHZurich(Switzerland). Structures, Vienna(Austria). Technology, InstituteforMechanicsofMaterialsand Prof. ChristianHellmichViennaUniversityof Prof. MatteoSantinUniversityofBrighton(UK). n n n n n n n techniques Scientific equipmentand

Marc) Finite elementsoftware(Abaqus,Fluent,TDyn,MSC Perfusion bioreactorsystem Image reconstructionsoftware(Simpleware) Microfluidic chamber Bose ElectroForceBioDynamicbioreactorsystem (CESCA) Access totheCentreofSupercomputingCatalonia 240 GBRAManda11TBdiscspace) High performancecomputinginfrastructure(32cores, Biomedical signal processing and interpretation Prof. Dr. Raimon Jané

Artificial Olfaction Dr. Santiago Marco

Medical signals and instrumentation programme Medical signals and Cellular Biotechnologyinstrumentation 64 | Research:BiomedicalSignalProcessingandInterpretation Giraldo, Dr. AbelTorres Manuel Lozano,DavidMontilla Christian Morgenstern,Dr. JordiSolà-Soler • • Highlights in2011: research purposeandforindustrialdevelopments. contributions canbetransferred.Currently, ourscientificprototypesareusedinthehospitalsfor The groupfocusesitsresearchinatranslationalwaytopromotethatscientificandtechnology performance instudieswithwell-controlledphysiologicalconditions. hospital partners.Currently, wearealsostudyingtheproposedalgorithmsinanimalmodelstotest surface signals,wedevelopedspecificinvasive/non-invasiveprotocolswiththecollaborationofour validate theperformanceofdevelopedalgorithms.To validatetheclinicalinformationofsomenew and thedevelopmentofanewbiosignaldatabasesdevelopedjointlywithhospitalstoassess The specificobjectivesofthegroupareproposalanddesignnovelsignalprocessingalgorithms characterization ofphysiologicalphenomena,andtoenhanceearlydetectionmajordiseases. biomedical signals.Ourmainobjectiveistoimprovethenon-invasivediagnosiscapabilitythrough multimodal acquisition,processing,modellingandinterpretationofclinicallyrelevantinformationfrom prevention andpathologytreatment.We explorenewmethodsandtechniquesformulti-channel techniques andtheinterpretationofbiomedicalsignalstoimprovemonitoring,diagnosis,disease The group’s researchaddressesthedesignanddevelopmentofadvancedsignalprocessing Research technicians: Masters students: PhD students: Postdoctoral researchers: Senior researchers: Group leader: and interpretation Biomedical signalprocessing Oiane Urra Beatriz Martínez

W W the companyMCC-Med,Germany. collaboration withtheInstituteof BiomedicalEngineering(Karlsruhe),theKlinikumBethanienand Trias iPujol,Badalona. as anovelpowerfultoolforscreeningSAHSseverity, incollaborationwiththeHospitalGermans Hypopnea Syndrome(SAHS)severityandanoriginaldefinitionof regularandnon-regularsnores, e haveevaluateddifferentmethodstoestimatetheupperairway respiratory resistance,in e haveproposedanewmethodforclassifyingsnoringsubjectsaccordingtotheirSleepApnea JoanaMesquita,LeonardoSarlabous, Prof. Dr. RaimonJané AlejandroCalvo,MirellaLópez, Dr. JoséAntonioFiz,Dr. Beatriz Maria PuyRuizdeAlda, Dr. AinaraGarde,Dr. Research: Biomedical Signal Processing and Interpretation | 65

Respiratory sound detection and interpretation in a novel single channel portable device for snore-based screening of Sleep Apnea-Hypopnea Syndrome (SAHS).

• We developed a method to study the respiratory flow cycle morphology in Chronic Heart Failure and the respiratory pattern in critical patients with mechanical ventilation, in collaboration with the University of Lund, Sweden, and the Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona. • We proposed a new method to assess the respiratory muscle efficiency in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, in collaboration with the Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol and the Hospital del Mar, Barcelona. • We designed a multimodal protocol for a rat model of SAHS in collaboration with the Biophysics and Bioengineering Unit of the School of Medicine, University of Barcelona. instrumentation Medical signals and

Multimodal biosignal interpretation in a SAHS rat model. Medical signals and Cellular Biotechnologyinstrumentation 66 | Research:BiomedicalSignalProcessingandInterpretation MICINN. PI: RaimonJané interactions (2011-2013). diseases, cardiacpathologiesandcardiorespiratory sleep andneurologicaldisorders,obstructivepulmonary Industrial projectwithSIBEL,S.A. PI: RaimonJané(managedbyUPC) and evaluationofsnoringapnoea(2009-2011). tivitats delsgrupsderecercaCatalunya(SGR2009). (AGAUR). Convocatòriad’ajutsperdonarsuportalesac- Agència deGestiód’AjutsUniversitarisiRecerca PI: RaimonJané MICINN. PI: RaimonJané(managedbyUPC) (2007-2011). Breathing, RespiratoryDiseasesandCardiacPathologies Processing ofBiomedicalSignalsinSleep-Disordered Soc. 2011,5690-3 modeling techniques.InConfProcIEEEEngMedBiol of patientsinweaningprocessusingautoregressive S. (2011).Analysisoftherespiratorypatternvariability Soc. 2011,2724-7 tients onweaningtrials.InConfProcIEEEEngMedBiol of heartratevariabilityandrespiratoryflowseriesinpa- and Voss, A.(2011).Recurrence quantificationanalysis of SpinalDisorders&Techniques, 24(8),485-491 doscopic posterolateraltransforaminalapproach.Journal ly collapseddiskspreliminaryclinicalexperiencewithen- spacer forthetreatmentofforaminalstenosisinextreme- S. H.(2011).Usefulnessofanexpandableinterbody análisis delronquido.MedicinaClínica,137(1),36-42 n n n n Publications n n n n Research projects

BIOMIND Multimodal biomedical data interpretation in Realtimeanalyzerofrespiratorysoundsfordetection Grupderecercaconsolidat(2009-2013). M3PBIOMultichannelMonitoringandMultimodal Chaparro,J.A.,Giraldo,B.F., Caminal,P. andBenito, Arcentales,A.,Giraldo,B.F., Caminal,P., Benito,S. Morgenstern,R.,C.,Jane,R.andLee, Fiz,J.A.,Solà,andJané,R.(2011).Métodosde Soc. 2011,3197-200 screening SAHSseverity. InConfProcIEEEEngMedBiol Jane, R.(2011).Normalnon-regularsnoresasatoolfor 8331-3 databases. InConfProcIEEEEngMedBiolSoc.2011, device developedusingpolysomnographicandsnoring sleep apneahypopneasyndromewithasingle-channel Morera, J.(2011).Snoringanalysisforthescreeningof Soc. 2011,1725-8 components analysis.InConfProcIEEEEngMedBiol ogy inchronicheartfailurepatientsapplyingprincipal (2011). Analysisoftherespiratoryflowcyclemorphol- Conf ProcIEEEEngMedBiolSoc.2011,6071-4 Apnea HypopneaSyndrome,usingaKernelmethod.In classification ofsnoringsubjectswithandwithoutSleep 2011, 3820-3 respiratory test.InConfProcIEEEEngMedBiolSoc. respiratory musclesefficiencyduringanincrementalflow Llorens, J.M.,Morera,andJane,R.Evaluationofthe Med BiolSoc.2011,3205-8 airflow relationshipduringsleep.InConfProcIEEEEng resistance measurementswiththeesophagealpressure/ A. andJane,R.Comparisonofupperairwayrespiratory n n n University ofKarlsruhe(Germany). Prof. Dr. ArminBolzInstituteofBiomedicalEngineering, of Zurich(Switzerland). Prof. Dr. KonradBlochPulmonaryDivisionatUniversity Santa CreuiSantPau,Barcelona(Spain). Dr. SalvadorBenitoMedicinaIntensiva,Hospitaldela Badalona (Spain). Cardiología HospitalUniversitariGermansTrias iPujol, Prof. Dr. AntonioBayesGenisGrupICREC,Servei research centres Collaborations withother n n n

Mesquita,J.,Fiz,J.A.,Sola-Soler, J.,Morera,J.and Jane,R.,Fiz,J.A.,Sola-Soler, J.,Mesquita,J.and Garde,A.,Giraldo,B.F., Sornmo,L.andJane,R. Sola-Soler, J.,Fiz,J.A.,Morera,andJane,R.Bayes Sarlabous,L.,Torres, A.,Fiz,J.Gea,J.,Martinez- Morgenstern,C.,Schwaibold,M.,Randerath,W., Bolz, Research: Biomedical Signal Processing and Interpretation | 67

Prof. Dr. Manuel Doblaré Grupo de Mecánica Estructural Prof. Dr. Leif Sörnmo Signal processing group, Lund y Modelado de Materiales, Universidad de Zaragoza University (Sweden). (Spain). Prof. Dr. Jaume Veciana Grupo de Nanociencia Prof. Dr. Ramon Farré CIBERES / IDIBAPS, Unitat Molecular y Materiales Orgánicos del Instituto de de Biofísica i Bioenginyeria, Facultat de Medicina, Ciencia de Materiales de Barcelona (NANOMOL-CSIC), Barcelona (Spain). Barcelona (Spain). Prof. Dr. Alejandro Frangi Grupo de Imagen Prof. Dr. Andreas Voss University of Applied Sciences, Computacional y tecnologías de Simulación en Jena (Germany). Biomedicina (CISTIB), Universidad Pompeu Fabra Dr. James J. Yue Yale Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, (Spain). School of Medicine, Yale University (USA). Dr. Joaquim Gea CIBERES, Servei Pneumologia, Hospital del Mar-IMIM, Barcelona (Spain). Dr. Alfredo Hernández Laboratoire Traitement du Signal Scientific equipment and et de l’Image, Université de Rennes 1, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, INSERM techniques (France). n BIOPAC system for multichannel cardiac, respiratory, Dr. Eric Laciar Dept. Electrónica y Automática, neural and muscular biomedical signal acquisition Universidad Nacional de San Juan (Argentina). n Non-invasive Vital Signs Monitor for small lab animals Prof. Dr. Pablo Laguna Instituto de Investigación de (mice and rats) (Mouse-Ox Plus) Aragón (I3A), Universidad de Zaragoza (Spain). n Databases of biomedical signals from Hospitals and Dr. Josep Morera CIBERES, Servei de Pneumologia, Animal Laboratories Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona (Spain). n Snoring analyzer equipment (SNORYZER) Prof. Dr. Javier Pavía Grupo de Imagen Médica (GIB), Universidad de Barcelona (Spain). n Sensors, electrodes and microphones to obtain cardiac, respiratory, neural, muscular and sleep Prof. Dr. Thomas Penzel Interdisciplinary Sleep Center. biomedical signals Charité University Hospital, Berlin (Germany). n Polisomnographic equipments available in the Sleep Prof. Dr. Winfried J. Randerath Institut for Pneumologie, Laboratory of collaborator Hospitals Klinik Bethanien, Solingen (Germany). n Beat to beat arterial blood pressure and Prof. Dr. Domènec Ros Grupo de Imagen Médica (GIB), haemodynamic monitor equipment (FINOMETER) Universidad de Barcelona (Spain). instrumentation Medical signals and n Research laboratory with full equipment for acquisition Prof. Dr. Andrés Santos Grupo de Tecnologías de and processing of Biomedical Signal to test new Imágenes Médicas (BIT). Universidad Politécnica de sensors and to define clinical protocols (preliminary Madrid (Spain). tests and control subjects). Dr. Matthias Schwaibold MCC-Med GmbH & Co. KG, n Computing server for high performance biomedical Karlsruhe (Germany). signals Prof. Dr. Lotfi Senhadji Laboratoire Traitement du Signal et de l’Image (LTSI), Université de Rennes 1, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, INSERM (France). Dr. Marta Sitges IDIBAPS, Servei de Cardiologia, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona (Spain). Medical signals and Cellular Biotechnologyinstrumentation 68 | Research:ArtificialOlfaction Masoumeh Mohammadnejad, Lechón, PabloMeca,SergiUdina • • • • • Our researchin2011includedthefollowing: systems inspiredbytheneuronalprocessingofbiologicalolfactorypathway. in seconds.Thefocusofourresearchthisfieldisthedevelopmentsignalanddataprocessing of theodour. Moreover, AOsystemstendto favour miniaturiseddevicescapableofanalyzinganodour vidual components–asisthecasewithanalyticalinstrumentsbutratheronoverallevaluation pattern recognitionsystem.Theemphasisisnotontheidentificationandquantificationofindi- pounds andsmells.Thesesystemsusuallycombineanarrayofnonspecificchemicalsensorswitha Artificial olfaction(AO)systemsareintelligentchemicalinstrumentsforthedetectionofvolatilecom- Visitors: Technicians: PhD students: Postdoctoral researcher: Senior researcher: Group leader: Artificial Olfaction Pairó, VíctorPomareda,FranciscoMiguelTarzán Verónica Guamán,SergioOller, MartaPadilla,Erola

Wine fraudinEuropecanreach 5% insomecountries.In While immunosensorscanbeveryselective,theystillshowcross-sensitivities tostructurallyrelated Sepsis isamajorcauseofdeathinintensivecareunits.In T Within theframeworkofEuropeanNEUROCHEMprojectfor improve theselectivitytowardssimilaranabolicsteroidsfoundin doping casesorillegalfeeding. Marco, wehaveshownthatpatternrecognitiontechniquesappliedtoanImnunosensorarraycan compounds. IncooperationwiththeAppliedMolecularReceptor etry candetectsepsisinratswithminimumanalysistimesandwithout anysamplepre-treatment. Navajas’ groupatIBEC(page33),wehaveshownthatbreathanalysiswithionmobilityspectrom - algorithm usingconcentrationinformationthatisrobustagainsttime-varying backgrounds. sible touncoverthechemicalsource.We havedevelopedaBayesianchemicalsourcelocalization equipped withchemicalsensorsinthepollutedareaandproperdatafusionalgorithms,itispos - navigation inreal-time.Thesystemisabletolocateachemicalsourcemixedplumeconditions. brates inaneuralsimulator. Thesemodelshavebeenintegratedinanautonomousrobotforodour bodies andintegratedmoreabstractcompletemodelsinspiredbytheolfactorysystemofverte- spired computationalsolutions,wehavedevelopeddetailedneuronalmodelsofinsectmushroom wines. with patternrecoginitiontechniques canbeusedtoidentifytheCertifiedBrandofOriginwhite doba’s Department ofAnalyticalChemistry, wehaveshownthationmobilityspectrometrytogether oxic leakagesfromindustrycanbeamajorenvironmentalhealthproblem.Usingsetofvehicles Bernd Friedl,LucasGeorges,ZeevKarpas, Idoya Agudo,DidierDomínguez,Miguel Dr. SantiagoMarco Ariadna Bartra,LluísFernández,Ana Dr. AgustínGutiérrez Dr. JordiFonollosa

Davide Polese conjunction withtheUniversityof Cor an exploratorycooperationwithDaniel Group atIQAC,ledbyProf.M.P. development ofbiologically-in- - Research: Artificial Olfaction| 69

Models of the insect antennal lobe developed Clusters of activity in the olfactory bulb in response to odorants recovered by non-negative matrix in collaboration with Dr. Dominique Martinez, factorization (original data courtesy of Leon-Johnson Lab, UCI). (INRIA).

Research projects n Prototipatge d’instrument de mesura de consum energètic - gas natural (2009-2011). PI: Santiago Marco n NEUROCHEM Biologically Inspired Computation for Centre d’Innovació i Desenvolupament Empresarial Chemical Sensing (2008-2011). (CIDEM). PI: Santiago Marco (coordinator; managed by UB) Collaborative project (ICT) within the framework of EU- n SOMNO-ALERT® P-10 Detección de Somnolencia FP7. (2009-2011) PI: Santiago Marco n LOTUS Localisation of Threat Substances in Urban Industrial project with FICOMIRRORS, S.A. Society (2009-2011). PI: Santiago Marco (managed by UB) n Intelligent signal processing for sensor systems in Collaborative project within the framework of EU-FP7. bioengineering (2009-SGR-753). PI: Santiago Marco n BREATH Exhaled breath inflammatory, oxidative stress Agència de Gestió d’Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca instrumentation Medical signals and and metabonomic biomarkers in chronic obstructive (AGAUR). Convocatòria d’ajuts per donar suport a les ac- pulmonary disease and lung cancer (2009-2011). tivitats dels grups de recerca de Catalunya (2009-2013). PI: Santiago Marco MICINN, Instituto de Salud Carlos III. n Signal processing optimized for the detection of explosive and toxic substances. n PROSAVE² Proyecto de Investigación en Sistemas PI: Santiago Marco Avanzados para un avión más Eco-Eficiente (2010- (2009-FI-VP051626). 2011). n Olfactory bulb image analysis and its implications in PI: Santiago Marco odour coding. MICINN, Consorcios Estratégicos Nacionales en Investi- PI: Santiago Marco gación Técnica (CENIT). (FPSC-IBEC). n SEDUCE Systems for the Detection of Explosives in Centers and Public Infrastructures (2008-2011). PI: Santiago Marco (managed by UB) MICINN, Consorcios Estratégicos Nacionales en Investi- gación Técnica (CENIT). Medical signals and Cellular Biotechnologyinstrumentation 70 | Research:ArtificialOlfaction Proceedings, NewYork City, USA ing: Statisticsorbiologicalinspiration.AIPConference n n n n n n n n n n Publications ings, NewYork City, USA with ametaloxidesensorarray. AIPConferenceProceed- A. (2011).Odourmappingunder strongbackgrounds i Badia,S.,Verschure, P. F. M.J.,Marco,S.andPerera, ference Proceedings,NewYork City, USA bayesian inferenceunderbackgroundsignals.AIPCon- source localizationwithmultiplemobilesensorsusing the IEEE,Boston,USA Society, EMBC,2011Annual InternationalConferenceof estimation toolkit.EngineeringinMedicineandBiology Marco, S.andPerera,A.(2011).MEET: Motifelements ings, NewYork City, USA encode forchemicalmixtures.AIPConferenceProceed- (2011). Studyofsensorydiversityandredundancyto zation (ECRO-2010),Avignon, France Congress ofEuropeanChemoreceptionResearchOrgani- designed totestcomputationalolfactionmodels.20th Marco, S.(2011).Abiomimeticgassensorarraysystem (62), 1-8 the olfactorybulb.FrontiersinSystemsNeuroscience,5 Statistical analysisofcodingformolecularpropertiesin Systems Neuroscience,5(82),1-8 tory bulbmayreflectperceptualcategories.Frontiersin (2011). Continuousspatialrepresentationsintheolfac- chemometrics tools.Talanta, 84(2),471-479 eter fortheclassificationofdifferentwhitewinesusing of agas-liquidseparatortoanIonMobilitySpectrom- A., Marco,S.andValcárcel, M.(2011).Directcoupling techniques. Analyst,136,4045-4052 anabolic steroidsusingELISAandpatternrecognition simultaneous detectionandquantificationofandrogenic Centi, F. andMarco,S.(2011).Preliminarystudyfor

Marco, S. (2011). Signal processing for chemical sens- Calvo, D.,Tort, N.,PabloSalvador, J.,Marco,M.P., Ziyatdinov, A.,Calvo,J. M.B.,Lechon,M.,Bermudez Pomareda, V. andMarco,S.(2011).Chemicalplume Pairo, E.,Maynou,J.,Vallverdu, M.,Caminal,P., Gutierrez-Galvez, A.,Fernandez,L.andMarco,S. Fernandez, L.,Gutierrez-Galvez,A.,Fonollosa,J.and Auffarth, B.,Gutierrez,A.andMarco,S.(2011). Auffarth, B.,Gutierrez-Galvez,A.andMarco,S. Garrido-Delgado, R.,Arce,L.,Guaman,A.V., Pardo, Brescia (Italy). Dr. MatteoFalasconiSensorLaboratory, University of Barcelona (Spain). nia, SpanishCouncilforScientificResearch(IQAC-CSIC), group (AMRg),InstituteofAdvancedChemistryCatalo- Prof. MaríaPilarMarcoAppliedMolecularReceptor ing, Mieres,Asturias(Spain). Prof. EnriqueRuspiniEuropeanCenterforSoftcomput- de Córdoba(Spain). Dr. Lourdes ArceDept.QuímicaAnalítica,Universidad of Leicester(UK). Dr. Tim PearceNeurolab,Dept.Engineering,University tional delaRechercheAgronomique,Versailles (France). Prof. J.P. RosparsInsectPhysiologyUnit,InstitutNa- nia, Barcelona(Spain). Prof. PereCaminalCREB,Technical UniversityofCatalo- Dr. D. MartínezCortexGroup,LORIA,Nancy(France). sity ofManchester(UK). Prof. KrishnaPersaudChemoreceptionGroup,Univer- (Sweden). Prof. AndersLansnerTheBrainInstitute,Stockholm Systems, UniversitatPompeuFabra,Barcelona(Spain). Prof. PaulVerschure Cognitive,PerceptiveandEmotive lecular, UniversitatdeBarcelona(Spain). Prof. MartaCascanteDept.BioquímicaIBiologiaMo- pital ClínicdeBarcelona(Spain). Prof. Dr. JosepRocaDept.CiènciesClíniques,UB-Hos- sity ofCalifornia,Irvine(USA). Leon andJohnsonGroupDept.ofNeuroscience,Univer- research centres Collaborations withother n ings, NewYork City, USA scale virtualgassensorarray. AIPConferenceProceed- Marco, S.,Persaud,K.andPerera,A.(2011).Alarge

Ziyatdinov, A.,Fernandez-Diaz,E.,Chaudry, A., Research: Artificial Olfaction| 71

Scientific equipment and techniques n Infrared Camera (FLIR Systems A40M) n NST 3320 Electronic Nose n Dycometal Climate-controlled Chamber adapted for atmosphere modification n Computer equipment and general purpose electronic instrumentation n Gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer (THERMOSCIENTIFIC) n Gas sensor test station, with associated equipment for excitation, data logging and mixture generation n Ion mobility spectrometer (Gas Detector Array by AirSense Analytics) n Computing cluster with 32 processors n Automated headspace sampler (Agilent) n Temperature and humidity gas conditioner (Assay Technologies) n PhotoIonization detector n Double-column gas chromatography system with flame ionization detector (HP) n Olfactive port for gas chromatography n UV-IMS (ultraviolet-ion mobility spectrometry) n Owlstone vapor generator n Infusion pumps K-systems instrumentation Medical signals and Robotics Prof. Dr. Alícia Casals

Robotics and biomedical engineering programme Research: Robotics | 73

Robotics

Group leader: Prof. Dr. Alícia Casals Senior researchers: Joan Aranda, Manel Frigola PhD students: Luis Ernesto Amigo, Eduard Bergés, Miquel Casamitjana, Xavier Giralt, Albert Hernansanz, Vijaykumar Rajasekaran Masters students: Federica Calcagno, Ludovico Donegani, Emma Federici, Paloma Fuentes, Aaron Montero, Velia Napoli, Lluís Sala Technician: Manuel Vinagre

Research on robotics in medicine deals with the close interaction between people and robots. IBEC’s Robotics group, together with the associated group of CREB–UPC, designs and develops intelligent robotic systems to assist people with disabilities and medical personnel. This involves acquiring detailed knowledge about the behaviour and intentions of users, not only to develop an interface adapted to both their needs and the requirements of the tasks, but also to facilitate fine tuning of the level of cooperation between the user and the machine, taking into account the user’s abilities. Our main project in rehabilitation is the design and development of robot control strategies for a simultaneous operation of a neurorobot and a motor neuroprosthesis. The project intends to advance in the “assist-as-needed” concept; that is, based on the use of biofeedback, an orthotic device (an exoskeleton) is controlled from user’s volitional commands, considering also the user’s capabilities (fatigue, level of motor disorder, etc) and their dynamic changes. A special effort is dedicated to developing adequate compliant control strategies, which ensure safe interaction during physical contact between human and robot. biomedical engineering Robotics and In surgical robotics our research is focused on the design of assisted teleoperation strategies, with the goal of reducing stress for surgeons who perform operations requiring highly delicate actions and great precision. Some surgical procedures can be carried out safely and more effectively with robotic assistance, and this technique also improves reliability. The research of the group does not uniquely focus on the research to improve ergonomics, efficiency and safety during a robot assisted intervention, but also on the transfer of this technology for its clinical applicability. At present, the research team is working in an FP7 Coordinated Action, Eurosurge, which aims to study the technical, ethic and legal aspects that limit the commercial expansion of surgical robots. Robotics and Cellular Biotechnologybiomedical engineering 74 | Research:Robotics nología (CICYT). MICINN, ComisiónInterministerialdeCienciayTec- PI: AlíciaCasals(managedbyUPC) multirobot conarquitecturasredundantes(2009-2010). NIO 2010. MICINN, ActividadInvestigadoraCONSOLIDER–INGE- PI: AlíciaCasals of MotorDisorders(2009-2014). Devices forFunctionalCompensationandRehabilitation Coordination ActionFP7-ICT-2011-7. PI: AlíciaCasals n n Publications n n n Research projects Study ofcontrolstrategiesinneurorobotics. 1089-1091 Medical &BiologicalEngineering &Computing,49(10), and Casals,A.(2011).Trends inrehabilitationrobotics. and CyberneticsPartB-Cybernetics,41(2),435-447 computer interfaces.IEEETransactions onSystemsMan (2011). Motor-model-based dynamicscalinginhuman-

Estudioydesarrollodeestrategiascooperación HYPERHybridNeuroProstheticandNeuroRobotic EurosurgeEuropeanRoboticSurgery Garcia, N.,Sabater-Navarro, J.M.,Gugliemeli, E. Miguel Munoz,L.,Casals,A.,Frigola,M.andAmat,J. Experimental surgicalrobotplatformforlaparoscopicsurgery(withCREB-UPC). lona (Spain). Salvador RieraCentreperalaVidaIndependent, Barce- (USA). Dr. JavierMagriñáMayoClinic,Scottsdale,Arizona Dr. CarlosTorrens HospitaldelMar, Barcelona (Spain). Barcelona (Spain). Dr. JoanAntoniHuetoHospitaldelaVall d’Hebrón, Sabadell (Spain). Dr. EnricLaporteCorporacióSanitàriaParcTaulí, (Spain). Dr. ÁngelGilHospitaldeTetraplégicos deToledo lona (Spain). Dr. JosepM.Tormos FundacióInstitutGuttmann,Barce- research centres Collaborations withother n n (CARS), Berlin,Germany surgery. ComputerAssistedRadiologyandSurgery Safe human-robotco-manipulationinassistedrobotic tion (ICRA),Shanghai,China IEEE InternationalConferenceonRoboticsandAutoma- dynamic servo-adaptationinorthoticapplications.2011

Vaca, R.,Aranda,J.,Amat,J.andCasals,A.(2011). Amat, J.(2011).Designofa3-DoFjointsystemwith Research: Robotics | 75

Scientific equipment and techniques n Experimental robotized domestic environment consisting of a robot, video cameras, video projector, scan laser and PC for robot and environment intelligent control n KUKA lightweight robot. Robot specially designed for safe interaction with humans and its environment. It is equipped with a control software environment developed by the research team to program anatomic constraints in order to operate in virtual environments n Computer controlled LEDs based lighting system for the operating room n A BCI working platform based on an Emotiv Epoc headset (EEG acquisition system) n 2 PC with multiprocessor architecture. Tesla C2050 n Ultrasound probe: B-Ultrasonic Diagnostic Equipment Model WED-2000 n 6D magnetic positioning sensors (Polhemus) n A 50’ 3D monitor n Basic electronics laboratory equipment biomedical engineering Robotics and

Contents | 77

Networking 78 | Research

Partnerships

ICREA CIBER-BBN

The Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies Founded in 2006, the Biomedical Research Networking (ICREA) is a foundation supported by the Catalan Govern- Center in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine ment. Its aim is to recruit top scientists for the Catalan R&D (CIBER-BBN) is one of Spain’s Biomedical Research system to lead new research groups, strengthen existing Networking Centers (CIBERs). The primary aim of these ones and set up new lines of research. To achieve its objec- consortia is to create large multidisciplinary and multi- tives, the foundation works closely with Catalan universities institutional networks of research centres that will integrate and research centres through long-term agreements that basic and clinical research. CIBER-BBN, which is financed allow ICREA researchers to participate in research groups in by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, works in a number these centres. In 2011, four of IBEC’s 15 group leaders were of areas including bioengineering, biomedical imaging, ICREA research professors. biomaterials, tissue engineering and nanomedicine. Research is focused on disease prevention, diagnostics systems and technologies for specific therapies, such as regenerative medicine and nanotherapies. IBEC works Fundación Botín closely with CIBER-BBN, playing a role in the organisation and taking part in its research groups to help them carry out IBEC’s collaboration with the Fundación Botín, a Spanish their work. The two institutions also share technical research private institution, is in regard to the technology transfer of equipment. results obtained by the Nanobioengineering group led by associate director Josep Samitier (page 42). CIBER-BBN projects (2010-2011)

n ES-CELLTHERAPY Use of human pluripotent stem cells CRESIB as vehicles for localized delivery of therapy to brain tumors. PI: Ángel Raya; Josep Planell IBEC and the Centre de Recerca en Salut International de Barcelona (CRESIB) have an official agreement, signed in n NACRE New Approaches for Cartilage Regeneration. 2010, in order to facilitate collaboration in certain areas PI: Ángel Raya of common interest. This proposed the establishment of n NANOXEN Use of optical molecular nanoswitches to a mixed unit of personnel from both institutes aimed at control nervous functions in Xenopus tropicalis. developing diagnostic and therapeutic nanomedicine-based PI: Fausto Sanz (under UB); María García-Parajo systems to be applied to malaria. n NANOMEDIAG Nanobioanalytical platforms for improved Consequently, Dr. Xavier Fernández-Busquets, senior medical diagnosis of infections caused by pathogen microor- researcher in IBEC’s Nanobioengineering group, is ganisms. undertaking research into targeted nanovectors for PI: Josep Samitier antimalarial drug delivery across the two institutes and with support from both. In 2011 this initiative was favourably n CELL MECHANICS Understanding mechanotransduction reviewed and will continue for another three years. and cell-substrate interaction mechanisms. Applications in cell therapy and tissue engineering. PI: Josep Samitier; Josep Planell; Daniel Navajas Networking | 79

While most of IBEC’s funds come from the Generalitat de Catalunya, the University of Barcelona and the Technical University of Catalonia, an increasing proportion comes from national and international competitive research funding, ranging from large instruments such as the EU’s Framework Programmes to independent or national foundations. Both projects and people are funded, with IBEC proud to be able to claim no fewer than four group leaders with their own support from one of the most prestigious sources, ICREA, in 2011.

n OLIGOCODES Universal Diagnostic Platforms Based On CIBERNED Oligonucleotide Codified Nanoparticles and DNA Microarray Sensor Devices. Also one of Spain’s Biomedical Research Networking Centers PI: Josep Samitier (CIBERs), CIBERNED is composed of 63 research groups n BIO-SCAFF Desarrollo de nuevos conceptos de andami- working on basic and clinical research into neurodegenera- ajes y cultivos celulares para medicina regenerativa. tive diseases. Two IBEC groups are involved in CIBERNED PI: Ángel Raya projects, which are also financed by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III. n BIOSCAFF-EYE Bio-engineered stem cell niches (BioSC- niche) in ocular surface reconstruction for corneal blindness: n BESAD-P Biomarkers of Early Stages of Alzheimer from basic research to clinical trials. Disease-Prevention (2010-2012). PI: Josep Samitier; Josep Planell PI: Jose Antonio del Río n Bioproterial Biological activity of matrix proteins at the n Red española de investigación en enfermedades cell-material interface. neurológicas PRY-114 (2009-2012). PI: Josep Planell; George Altankov PI: Jose Antonio del Río n BIOGELANGIO Biomimetic extracellular matrices for an- n Generación de un modelo neuronal dopaminérgico a partir giogenic activation and anti-inflammatory activity in regenera- de células madre pluripotentes inducidas de pacientes con tive medicine. enfermedad de Parkinson asociada a mutaciones en el gen PI: Josep Planell LRRK2 (2010-2011). PI: Ángel Raya n SCAFFTIDE 3D scaffolds and implants functionalized and reinforced with recombinant protein polymers for regenerative medicine. PI: Josep Planell n INDI-MUSICA Indexes obtained from computational models and multiscale-multimodal biomedical signals for the diagnosis of cardiac pathologies. PI: Raimon Jané n MUDIRES Multimodal Diagnosis by Interpretation of Multiscale Signals in the Respiratory System. PI: Raimon Jané n Investigación en Señales y Sistemas Biomédicos. PI: Raimon Jané n VPHTk Virtual Physiological Human Toolkit. IP: Raimon Jané 80 | Research

Research agreements and MoUs

Groups from the UB and the Memoranda of Understanding

UPC Associated with IBEC IBEC’s MoUs with outside organisations numbered five in 2011, with more in the pipeline. In 2011, the IBEC continued to collaborate with the University of Barcelona (UB) and the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) on joint research programmes. Under an n Fundació Clínic - Hospital Clínic agreement signed in 2006, IBEC funds ten PhD scholarships a year, one for each associated group: IBEC works with both the Fundació Clínic and the Hospital Clínic in Barcelona to promote applied research across all n Biomaterials, Biomechanics and Tissue Engineering (UPC) three institutions. n Biomedical Signals and Systems Unit (UPC) n Robotics and Vision Unit (UPC) n The Bellvitge Institute for Biomedical Research (IDIBELL), Barcelona n Instrumentation and Bioengineering Unit (UPC) On 6 June 2011, IBEC presented its activities to n Ionizing Radiation Dosimetry Unit (UPC) biomedical researchers and clinicians from IDIBELL to n Graphical Computer Science Unit (UPC) kick off the official collaboration agreement between the two institutes, which was signed in September 2009. n Bioelectronics Unit (UB) The presentation featured talks on IBEC’s new Strategic n Biophysics and Bioengineering Unit (UB) Research Initiatives (SRIs) – the institute’s ‘flagships’ of interdisciplinary research focusing on providing solutions

n Microbiology Unit (UB) for specific pathologies or bottlenecks and involving n Surface Science and Nanotechnology Unit (UB) several IBEC groups – in nanomedicine, cell engineering and intelligent healthcare. The next step would be a series of focused workshops alongside two or three groups from IDIBELL who have identified ‘collaborative potential’ in some of the expertise displayed by their counterparts at IBEC, and vice-versa. The close interaction of researchers at IBEC and medical staff at IDIBELL will enable clinicians to benefit from the technology being developed at IBEC and allow investigators here to gain access to clinical opinion. With the official kick-off of the activities of this Memorandum Networking | 81

IBEC constantly pursues opportunities to collaborate on a long-term basis with other world-class national or international research institutes with an agreement or Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), with particular emphasis on clinical translation. Such agreements aim to promote exchange of researchers to execute projects, the dissemination of information, sharing of resources and organization of joint activities, and the implementation of cooperative research between them.

of Understanding, IBEC will be able to ensure that its n A collaborative research agreement between IBEC and research in the three focused areas of nanomedicine, the Interstaatliche Hochschule für Technick Buchs cell engineering and intelligent healthcare develops in (NTB) is planned to be renewed in 2012. Stemming directions that will have the most impact on health and from a long-term informal collaboration between IBEC’s society. Nanobioengineering lab (page 42) and the Switzerland- based institute, the relationship was formalised in 2009 and promotes a cooperative approach to the development n National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), Japan of new nanotechnology-based methods for the fabrication of sensor arrays and microfluidic structures for lab-on- The MoU between the National Institute for Materials chip devices. Science (NIMS) in Tsukuba, Japan, and IBEC has been in place since July 2009 and focuses on collaborations on the design of biomaterials surfaces and biosensors for cell n In October 2011, a delegation of the Innovation function, manipulation and analysis. department of the Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) in Barcelona visited IBEC to establish the basis of a cooperation agreement similar to the one signed with n Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering (ITREN), other hospitals. Dankook University, Korea Honouring the agreement to exchange researchers in the MoU signed with Korea’s Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering (ITREN) in 2008, senior researcher Dr. Oscar Castaño from the Bio/Non-Bio Interactions for Regenerative Medicine group spent three months at ITREN in 2011 working on hybrid bioactive nanofibers for bone regeneration with the institute’s Bioadvanced Materials group. Reciprocally, ITREN PhD student Jong-Eun Won spent three months with the IBEC group from February to April.

n University of Warwick, UK In 2011 IBEC played host to visitors from the University of Warwick’s Centre for Cognitive and Neural Systems (see page 92), following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the two institutes in 2010. Institutional initiatives and projects

Spanish Nanomedicine Platform possible next steps for innovation in nanomedicine in the country. NanoMed Spain is currently working to distill the results into a document to advise policy making The Spanish Nanomedicine Platform (NanoMed Spain) and national investors to help the clinical transfer of is a forum managed by IBEC that brings together public nanomedicine become a reality. research centres, hospitals, companies and government representatives to unite public and private interests in PRINCIPAL ACTIVITIES of NANOMED SPAIN: the development of common strategies. NanoMed Spain represents the interests of its stakeholders in the burgeoning Collaboration with other platforms and multidisciplinary area of nanomedicine, and is supported NanoMed Spain was the organiser, together with the by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICINN). Spanish Technology Platform for Innovative Medicines and In 2011, the activity of NanoMed Spain was focused on: the Platform on Healthcare Technology, of the 4th Annual Conference of Technological Platforms for Biomedical • Contributing to define the Spanish position in relation Research, which took place in Madrid on 28 February-1 to HORIZON 2020, the continuation of the European March 2011.This annual event has become a key date in Commission’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), in the nanotechnology calendar and showcases how the field all aspects related to the application of nanotechnology to is aiding the development of innovative products in medical healthcare. technologies and the pharmaceutical industry. It also • Collaboration with other sectors which can benefit provides an excellent meeting point for the private and public from the application of nanotechnology to healthcare, sectors, as well as policy makers. such as the food and environment industries. Beyond Representation of the Spanish nanomedicine community at collaboration with other technological platforms international level representing these sectors, IBEC associate director and coordinator of NanoMed Spain Josep Samitier was In October 2011, the annual forum of the European Platform appointed the Spanish representative at the European on Nanomedicine (ETPN) was hosted in Barcelona by IBEC Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Scientific Committee to in its capacity as manager of NanoMed Spain and coordina- deliver some practical guidelines for the risk assessment tor of the Connect-EU Nanobio+Nanomed working group of engineered nanomaterial (ENM) applications in food (see opposite). The Spanish Secretary of Innovation and and feed. This is the first of its kind to give practical Catalonia’s General Secretary of Universities and Research guidance for addressing potential risks arising from opened the conference, which welcomed speakers and applications of nanoscience and nanotechnologies in the attendees from the nanomedicine community throughout food and feed chain. Europe, spanning research, industry, the medical sector and funding bodies. As nanomedicine has been experiencing • Presentation of the document “Nanomedicine in continued and increased interest, the event focused strongly Spain 06-10”, which provides an overview of the on raising awareness for translational research and clinical main initiatives, large multidisciplinary projects and needs, with particular emphasis on discussing strategic op- internationalization efforts undertaken under NanoMed portunities for stakeholders coming from industry, academia Spain’s advice and leadership. and clinics. • Participation in the validation workshop, ‘Nanomedicine NanoMed Spain also participated in EuroNanoForum 2011 in Spain: present and future’, held at the Center for in Budapest on 30 May-1 June, at which 1200 attendees Industrial Technological Development (CDTI) in Madrid learned about recent research breakthroughs and viewed on 1 February 2011. Experts from diverse Working close-to-market nanotechnology developments. Over 70 Groups in diagnostics, nanopharmaceuticals and research centres, industrial leaders such as Bayer, Umicore, regenerative medicine discussed the conclusions that Fiat and Nokia, and 15 funding agencies including the Euro- could be drawn from the mapping of R+D capacities pean Commission were present at the forum. and industry expectations in these areas, and outlined Networking | 83

In its role as the country’s leading research institute in bioengineering and nanomedicine, IBEC manages or is a partner of several national and international inititatives with a range of goals including bringing together entities to network and share resources, providing advice and support, organising events, or acting as a representative, collective voice or expert consultant for stakeholders or funders.

Connect-EU KET – Key Enabling

In 2011 the IBEC-coordinated Connect-EU Technologies Nanobio+Nanomed working group, which was set up at the end of 2010, published a ‘roadmap’ for nanobiotech- IBEC’s director, Josep A. Planell, is Sherpa of the EC’s Key nology capabilities in Catalonia. The document, ‘Connect- Enabling Technologies High Level Group (HLG) on Nanotech- EU Nanobio+Nanomed Strategic Research Agenda’ was nology. Launched in July 2010, the mission of the HLG is to presented on 20 October 2011 at the annual forum of the assess the competitive situation of technologies in the EU, European Platform on Nanomedicine (ETPN), which followed analyse the available public and private R&D capacities for the 4th IBEC Symposium at the Hospital de Bellvitge on 18- them, and to propose specific policy recommendations for 19 October. The document marks the first major step of the more effective industrial deployment of KETs based on con- working group’s first ten months of work, and is the begin- sultations of European stakeholders. The final report will play ning of a series of actions to promote and reinforce Catalan a vital part in the implementation of the EC’s Europe strategy participation in the EU’s instruments for research funding in R+D and innovation, HORIZON 2020. such as FP7 and its successor, HORIZON 2020. As well as providing a plan for this strategic area of knowledge in the region, the publication aims to help define priorities in innovative applications for the pharmaceutical, medtech and environmental industries that can be trans- formed into European projects. During 2011, the Connect-EU Nanobio+Nanomed working group developed an agenda of dissemination activities with the aim of establishing itself as a contact with the diverse officers from the research programmes funding nanobio-related activities, such as FP7’s NMP, ICT and HEALTH, as well as the Spanish National Contact Points and representatives of the committees working on the annual working programmes. The most important event in this context was the Acte de Presentació dels Grups Connect-EU on 13 July 2011, when all fifteen Connect-EU working groups – which cover areas ranging from aerospace, agribusiness and water to energy, materials and health – were officially presented at the European Commission in Brussels. Strategic alliances

ACER BioNanoMed Catalunya

The Associació Catalana d’Entitats de Recerca (ACER) is an In May 2011, the IBEC-led alliance created to promote independent association which was established in 2003 to nanotechnology applied to healthcare and biotechnology, bring together non-profit R&D institutions, as well as helping BioNanoMed Catalunya, was presented to the media at the to define scientific and research priorities and policies in Museu Colet in Barcelona. BioNanoMed Catalunya brings Catalonia. Its ultimate goal is to help consolidate the region together 18 research centres, hospitals and companies to as an international leader in scientific and technological re- share know-how and resources, facilitate new developments search and to optimize the management and implementation in nanomedicine and gain international visibility for the of the member centres in the areas they represent, which advances in nanotechnology that are emerging in Catalonia. includes social sciences and humanities, life sciences and Along with Biocat, the Catalan Bioregion agency, IBEC has health sciences, natural mathematics and technology. been developing the initiative since 2009. Among the 37 Most of ACER’s members have close links with universities research groups involved in the alliance are IBEC’s Bio/ and the significant participation of the Generalitat de Non-bio Interactions for Regenerative Medicine, Cellular Catalunya, as well as support from various public and private Biomechanics, Nanobioengineering, and Nanoprobes and sources. Nanoswitches groups. As the next ten years will be key in transforming the results of bionanomedical research into more effective diagnostic systems and therapies, new tools to improve the environment or more efficient industrial Biocat: The BioRegion of production systems in the biotechnology sector, BioNanoMed Catalunya’s challenge is to effectively coordinate strategies Catalonia and establish cooperative links. Biocat is the organization that coordinates, develops and The alliance’s new website, www.bionanomedcat.org, was promotes the biotechnology, biomedicine and medical tech- also presented at the press conference in May. It aims to nology sectors in Catalonia. Its mission is to make the region become a benchmark site in Catalan bionanomedicine, an international reference in terms of high quality research, featuring qualitative information on the companies and competitive networks and an increasingly dynamic knowl- organizations active in the field, documents and news. In edge transfer system. IBEC contributes to the BioRegion pro- addition, the network’s first public activities in 2011 included gramme by taking part in the BioRegió Forum, an advisory a presentation to the European policy makers and other body actively involved with all the organizations associated cluster representatives at the EuroNanoForum 2011 and with Biocat. IBEC has played an active role in the initiative by participation in Washington’s BIO Convention in June. creating a medical technology cluster in Catalonia, which is run by Biocat. Networking | 85

Several organisations exist at a local or national level to consolidate research efforts in particular fields, coordinate and encourage greater visibility for the activities of research centres, or bring together similar entities with a common goal from different regions. IBEC is a member or partner of the following organisations and initiatives.

Biopol’H HUBc

Biopol’H is a biomedical and biotechnology cluster of health The Health UB Campus (HUBc) project, led by the Universi- care facilities, knowledge-generating institutions, research ty of Barcelona, brings together about 30 training institutions, centres and companies from the life sciences and health research and knowledge transfer in health sciences, mainly sectors, in a physical environment formed by the Bellvitge around the campus of the Medical and Hospital San Juan Institute for Biomedical Research (IDIBELL), the University de Dios, the campus Health Sciences with the University Hospital of Bellvitge, the Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO), Hospital of Bellvitge, ICO, IDIBELL, Biopol’H, and Barcelona the Health Sciences Campus of Bellvitge (UB) and the future Innovation Zone. On 21 October 2010, HUBc achieved Biopol Health Science Park. It is located within the munici- recognition by the Ministries of Education and Science and pality of L’Hospitalet de Llobregat. Innovation as a campus of international excellence. A day-long workshop, Nanomedicine for Healthy Ageing, was Its main strength is the high degree of specialization in the organised jointly by Biopol’H and IBEC on 19 October 2011. field of health, provide attraction of talents and capabilities Following on from the 4th IBEC Symposium on Bioengineer- will add the cities of Barcelona and L’Hospitalet de Llobregat ing and Nanomedicine (page 93), the workshop welcomed to coordinate, stimulate and promote biomedicine, biotech- experts including Laura Ballerini of the University of Trieste, nology and medical technologies. It offers support to several Scott Parazynski of The Methodist Hospital Research Insti- of IBEC’s activities such as the IBEC Symposium on Bioen- tute in Houston and Yuri Volkov of Trinity College Dublin. gineering and Nanomedicine and the IBEC-hosted forum of They and the other top speakers, who included Dr. Jaume the European Platform on Nanomedicine (ETPN) in 2011. Campdelacreu from IDIBELL representing the clinical arm of the cluster, led discussions on the potential of nanotechnologies for improved diagnosis and treatments for conditions associated with ageing. Interbio

Sponsored by the EC, Interbio is an interregional cooperation programme which aims at fostering transnational coopera- European Technological tion, technology transfer and innovation in the fields of bio- technologies and life sciences in south-west Europe. Interbio Platform on Nanomedicine brings together research centres, technology platforms and companies from the Barcelona, Bordeaux, Lisbon, Toulouse (ETPN) and Valencia regions.

A voting member of ETPN since 2008, IBEC has contrib- uted as an invited expert body, through its director and the Institutional Projects Unit, to ‘Roadmaps for Nanomedicine Nanoaracat Towards 2020’. This key document in the area of nanomedicine was drawn up to advise the European Commission Nanoaracat is a protocol that establishes a framework for on future R&D investment needed to ensure successful collaboration between the regional governments of Aragon translation of the results of research into the related sectors and Catalonia to foment and coordinate R&D projects in na- of medical and pharmaceutical technologies. noscience and nanotechnology. IBEC is one of 17 institutions involved in this initiative and is a member of the scientific In 2011 IBEC, in its capacity as manager of NanoMed Spain and monitoring committees. and coordinator of the Connect-EU Nanobio+Nanomed working group, hosted the annual forum of the ETPN in Barcelona. Events and communications

88 | Research

IBEC Seminars and PhD Discussions

IBEC Seminars n 15 March Dr. Simon Scheuring, Institute Curie, U1006 INSERM, Paris Throughout the year, a number of international experts, Membrane Proteins in Native Membranes Studied by scientists who work with our research teams on certain Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM): Watching Biological Nano- projects and some of the IBEC group leaders are invited to Machines at Work give lectures as part of the IBEC Seminars programme. The n 18 March aim of these events is to provide an overview of the state-of- the-art research in various fields and to give the audience the Alberto Pérez-Alvarez, Departamento de Farmacología y opportunity to discuss recent developments with the guest Terapéutica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma speakers. de Madrid Elements involved in stimulus-secretion coupling in human n 14 January chromaffin cells (at Bellvtige site) Maria V. Sanchez-Vives, Institut d’Investigacions n 18 March Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona Cerebral cortex network dynamics Dr. Julian Jones, Department of Materials, Imperial College London n 4 February Tough scaffolds for bone repair: a hybrid approach to tissue Dr. Daniel Riveline, Laboratory of Cell Physics, Institut engineering de Science et d’Ingénierie Supramoléculaires (ISIS) and n 1 April Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Strasbourg, France Prof. Dr. Arben Merkoçi, ICREA Research Professor, Two examples of cell physics phenomena: cell adhesion and Nanobioelectronics & Biosensors Group, Catalan Institute of cell division Nanotechnology CIN2 (ICN-CSIC) Nanoparticles for dna, protein and cell sensors n 18 February n 15 April Manuel Fuentes, Cancer Research Center, Department of Medicine, University of Salamanca-CSIC Prof. Jose-Ramon Sarasua, University of the Basque Country Self-assembling Protein Microarrays and Surface Plasmon (UPV-EHU), Department of Mining-Metallurgy and Materials Resonance Imaging to study high-throughput protein Science, Bilbao School of Engineering interactions of p53 and Mdm2 Resorbable polylactides for medical applications: crystallinity, phase structure and properties n 4 March n 6 May Prof. Angel Raya, IBEC Reprogramming the potency of somatic cells: how and what Hans Supèr, ICREA Research Professor, Faculty of for? Psychology, University of Barcelona Towards bio-inspired early vision for autonomous robot n 11 March navigation Sun Nyunt Wai, MD, PhD, Professor of Medical Microbial Pathogenesis, Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), n 20 May Umeå University, Sweden Dr. Zeev Karpas, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Pathoadapative regulation of type VI secretion system in Nuclear Research Center, Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel Vibrio cholerae Diagnosis of diseases and spoilage through measurement of biogenic amines by Ion Mobility Spectrometry (IMS) Events and Communications | 89

n 3 June n 2 December Prof. Jaume Veciana, Institut de Ciencia de Materials de Jerome Solon, CRG Barcelona (CSIC) and CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales Closing the gap: Coordination of forces during drosophila y Nanomedicina dorsal closure Ultra sensitive piezoresistive sensors for biomedical applications based on composite polymeric thin films n 21 December Eugeni Roura, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food n 30 June Innovation (QAAFI), Centre for Nutrition and Food Sciences, Sanjay Kumar, University of California The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia Dissecting and genetically engineering microscale tensional The taste system beyond taste: novel paths to explain hunger homeostasis in living cells and satiety in mammals n 1 July Dr. Lluís Orozco, Institut de Teràpia Regenerativa Tissular (ITRT) Terapia Celular aplicada al aparato locomotor: “Estado del PhD Discussions Arte” These seminars are intended to encourage the participation n 14 July of PhD students, providing a forum where they can present the results of their research and discuss it with fellow Dr. Christopher Ahern, University of British Colombia students and researchers. Throughout 2011, eleven PhD How do S4 segments charge in voltage-sensor domains? Just students participated in these sessions. Additionally, in order add water (at Bellvtige site) to help the students in their career development and provide n 15 July them with additional skills, three invited speakers gave lectures on various topics. Prof. Antonio Villaverde, Institute for Biotechnology and Biomedicine and Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Complementary skills sessions (invited speakers) Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona/CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Bellaterra, n 28 January Barcelona Dr. Josep Perelló, Associate Professor at the Department Towards a tuneable nanoscale architecture of protein-only of Fundamental Physics of the University of Barcelona and artificial viruses coordinator of the Science Area at Arts Santa Mònica Is art a new way of doing science? n 7 October Nadia Mercader, CNIC n 27 May Heart regeneration in the zebrafish: scarring and epicardial Soraya Hidalgo, European Projects Office, UPC response upon cryoinjury Responding to Global Challenges: the International Cooperation Research Activites of the European Commission n 4 November Dr. Roger Guimerà, ICREA Research Professor, Universitat n 28 October Rovira i Virgili (Experimental Sciences & Mathematics) Alícia Casals (Robotics) and the General Projects Unit, Modules and statistical models of complex biological IBEC networks Funding your research. Strategies and funding programmes: the example of the Marie Curie programme

Left-right: a PhD Discussions Complementary Skills Session; question time; Prof. Gustavo V. Guinea 90 | Research

Meetings and outreach activities

Complementary skills training achievements, “Nanomedicine in Spain 06-10”, which had been coordinated by the institute in its capacity of leader of the Spanish Nanomedicine Platform (see page 82). Throughout the year, IBEC’s staff researchers have the chance to supplement their professional expertise at a range n 1 February of complementary skills courses organised by the Human n CDTI, Madrid Resources department. n 92 participants In 2011, training was focused on efficiency in communication in three main areas: scientific writing, oral presentations, and communicating with colleagues. CTP project meeting n Throughout the year n IBEC A meeting of the transnational project ‘Desenvolupament n 75 people approximately d’eines innovadores per a la Ocratoxina A’, coordinated by postdoc Beatriz Prieto of the Nanobioengineering group and funded by the Comunitat de Treball dels Pirineus (CTP). Connect-EU Nanobio+Nanomed n 2 February n IBEC Working Group n 15 participants

A meeting of the Connect-EU Nanobio+Nanomed Working Group, which is coordinated by IBEC (see page 83). During EscoLab visit the meeting, the group discussed the first steps towards its aim to provide an expert opinion on the ‘hot’ topics and the EscoLab is an initiative of Barcelona City Council’s local strengths in the field for ACC1Ó, the agency set up by Commission for the Promotion of Scientific Culture. It the government to make Catalan enterprise more globally introduces high school and VET students to the city’s competitive. research laboratories, with the aim to increase scientific n 27 January vocation among students. n IBEC After a presentation from IBEC Director Josep Planell about n 23 participants the institute and its research areas, the 23 14-15 year olds and their teachers visited the Bio/non-bio Interactions for Regenerative Medicine, Biomechanics and Mechanobiology Jornada de Nanomedicina en and Control of Stem Cell Potency groups, where researchers gave them some insights into computational models, España: Presente y Futuro cell differentiation, zebrafish as a model organism, and electrospinning. A one-day workshop, ‘Nanomedicine in Spain: present and n 23 February future’ was held at the Center for Industrial Technological n IBEC Development (CDTI) in Madrid. At the meeting IBEC n 23 participants presented a ‘who’s who’ of Spain’s major players in nanomedicine and a record of this new field’s most notable Events and Communications | 91

Left-right: Meeting of the Connect-EU working group; ESCOLAB; MySpine meeting

BOND project meeting Recerca en acció

The third technical meeting of the project ‘Bioelectronic An education fair organised by the Catalan Foundation Olfactory Neuron Device (BOND)’, which is funded by the for Research and Innovation to demonstrate the results European Commission under FP7 and coordinated by of scientific and technological research being carried out associate director Josep Samitier, with group leader Gabriel by universities, research centres, businesses and other Gomila as technical manager. Seven other partners from organizations, and to promote science and technology France, Italy, Ireland and the UK are also involved. careers among young people. n 7 March In 2012 IBEC shared a stand with other Catalan institutes in n IBEC an initiative organised by ACER (see page 84). n 20 participants n 26 March n Fira de Barcelona n 70000 visitors NeuroChem project meeting

Meeting of the project ‘Biologically Inspired Computation for Chemical Sensing (NeuroChem)’, which was funded by School visit the European Commission under FP7 and coordinated by A visit to IBEC of 24 students from Escuela IES Ramón Cid. Artificial Olfaction group leader Santiago Marco. n 31 March n 9-11 March n IBEC n Hotel Senator, Barcelona n 24 participants n 75 participants

MySpine project meeting Fira Recerca en Directe The ‘Live Research’ fair is organized by the Parc Científic The kick-off meeting of the project ‘Functional prognosis de Barcelona (PCB) with the support of the Obra Social simulation of patient-specific spinal treatment (MySpine)’, Caixa Catalunya bank. It aims to improve understanding and which is funded by the European Commission under FP7 awareness of science by presenting Barcelona research to and coordinated by Biomechanics and Mechanobiology the general public, with researchers manning the stands group leader Damien Lacroix. to demonstrate and explain their methods and goals in an n 22 March accessible way. n IBEC In 2011 scientists from IBEC’s Control of Stem Cell Potency n 20 participants group attended the fair, where they introduced visitors to the zebrafish as a model organism. Under a stereomicroscope visitors were shown embryos at different stages of development, including transgenic embryos displaying fluorescent hearts. n 5-7 April n La Pedrera, Barcelona n 1200 visitors 92 | Events and Communications

Student visit experience in the contribution of microtubules to cellular forces and the characterisation of biodegradable materials for bone regeneration. A visit to IBEC of nine Genetic Engineering masters students from the UPC. n 2-4 weeks in July n IBEC n 13 April n 3 participants n IBEC n 14 participants IBEC Makes a Splash Fira d’Empreses IBEC Makes a Splash day on 28 July heralded the start of the summer break and gave staff and researchers alike the This careers fair, organized by the University of Barcelona’s chance to get together to play sport, take some exercise, physics and chemistry faculties, helps undergraduate learn a new skill or simply lounge by the pool. students of these subjects to find out more about potential employers or furthering their studies, as well as improving the The event, which ended with a buffet and toasts, was the university’s relations with the business sector. ideal opportunity for IBEC to celebrate its great achievement of getting to the first round of the MICINN’s Severo Ochoa IBEC attended the fair to offer university leavers advice and selection. information about continuing their career at the institute as masters or PhD students. n 28 July n University of Barcelona’s sports ground, Esports UB n 5 May n 80 participants n University of Barcelona n 250 visitors Warwick University visit Connect-EU Nanobio+Nanomed Following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding Working Group between the two institutes last year (see page 81), IBEC played host to visitors from the University of Warwick in A further meeting of the Connect-EU Nanobio+Nanomed September. Nigel Stocks, Christopher James, Jianfeng Feng, Working Group. Pat Unwin and Pam Thomas from the UK-based institution took part in some high-level meetings with IBEC’s directors n 26 June and some lab tours, as well as presenting their science to a n IBEC gathering of IBEC researchers. n 20 participants From the IBEC side, Gabriel Gomila, Pau Gorostiza, Agustin Gutiérrez, Josep Samitier and Raimon Jané presented their work, and the event proved a ideal opportunity to identify E2C3 Youth and Science future collaborations and discuss the exchange of knowledge Programme and personnel. n 22-23 September

Three high-school students were hosted in IBEC labs for n IBEC

several weeks in July as part of Catalunya Caixa’s E2C3 n 9 participants Youth and Science Programme, which exposes talented and motivated young students to ‘real’ scientific work to encourage more of them to embark on a scientific career. Laia Gil, Joaquim Viñes and Laia Gili joined researchers Melba Navarro and Cécile Perrault for some hands-on Events and Communications | 93

4th IBEC Symposium ETP Nanomedicine General on Bionengineering and Assembly and Annual Forum

Nanomedicine/Nanomedicine The European Technological Platform on Nanomedicine (ETPN; see page 85) General Assembly and Annual Forum for Healthy Ageing on 19-21 October, which IBEC also organised, followed on from the IBEC Symposium at the Hospital de Bellvitge. The IBEC Symposium is a forum, open to the whole scientific community, where internationally renowned experts present n 19-21 October their recent results in bioengineering and nanomedicine. It n Hospital de Bellvitge also offers a platform for the institute’s young researchers to n 100 participants present their work and get feedback from more experienced scientists. Over 250 people attended the 4th IBEC Symposium on PathoGenomics project meeting Bioengineering and Nanomedicine, with more than a third coming from outside the institute. A total of 71 young A meeting of the project ‘Identification of hot spots of researchers presented posters, and 27 of them also gave divergence and rapidly changing genes within Shiga oral presentations of their work. The second day of the toxin-producing E. coli ’, which is funded by the European symposium was co-organised by Biopol’H (see page 85) Commission’s ERA-NET PathoGenoMics initiative. Senior and was devoted to the topic of Nanomedicine for Healthy researcher Eduard Torrents of the Microbial Biotechnology Ageing. and Host-pathogen Interaction group is the IBEC partner. n 18-19 October n 9 November n Hospital de Bellvitge n IBEC n 250 people n 10 participants n 71 posters IBEC Christmas Party

n 16 December n Poliesportiu, UPC n 160 participants

Left-right: Fira Recerca en Directe; the fourth IBEC symposium; the University of Barcelona’s physics and chemistry careers fair Communications

www.ibecbarcelona.eu IBEC Facebook page

The IBEC website, www.ibecbarcelona.eu, underwent an In 2011 IBEC opened its own Facebook page, which by design and content overhaul in 2010-2011. Launched the end of the year was running successfully with over 180 in May 2011, the new-look site has a clean new design ‘friends’. The Facebook page is intended to provide a forum with a dynamic homepage and several new sections. The for more community and social news, and also to act as a homepage displays the latest news, events, press releases tool to enhance visibility among potential new young recruits. and scientific publications, and the jobs section is now more visible and intuitive. New sections include Technology Transfer and Training, and Attract Talent Scheme all IBEC news items, media coverage and press releases are available to refer to in the easy-to-use chronological In autumn IBEC produced a PhD brochure and poster as archive. A Documents and Downloads page offers all IBEC part of a new campaign to attract talented young researchers publications including the InsideIBEC newsletter, Annual to the institute. The brochure includes information about the Reports, the PhD brochure and associated documents to PhD system in Spain, the benefits of doing a PhD at IBEC, view online or as downloads. which study porgrammes are open to researchers, and how The research group pages were also extensively overhauled to apply, as well as testimonials from past students. and are now divided into six tabbed sections: group The brochure and accompanying publicity materials will be description, members (including an option to display disseminated at conferences, meetings, fairs and to relevant former members), publications, projects and collaborations, institutions with undergraduate and masters students, and a protocols and equipment, and news. With this format, dedicted PhD webpage has been created. information is easier to find and the amount of detail that may be included is unlimited. Some sections of the new website are still under Merge of events and development. It is intended that each area of Support Services will have a dedicated page to explain their activities communications units and the services they offer to IBEC’s researchers; a “Want to visit IBEC?” page will be added for schools and other At the end of 2011 IBEC’s events and communications potential visitors; and the Templates page will provide logos departments merged to become the Communications and and branded IBEC templates such as presentation slides Outreach Department. As well as continuing to perform the and headed paper. In addition, an online ‘press area’ of existing tasks in both areas and some Human Resources expert opinions, images and videos in bionengineering and services, the new unit will extend its efforts into other fields, nanomedicine will be established. particularly improving IBEC’s record of participation in outreach activities, internal communication and encouraging a community spirit, exploring new technologies, and media relations. Events and Communications | 95

Left-right: The new IBEC Facebook page and website; the PhD brochure and poster for the Attract Talent Scheme

Media coverage 2011 El Mundo 02/03/2011 “Estamos hechos de vidrio” In a study published in PNAS, group leader Xavier Trepat n January reveals that migrating cells in our bodies behave in a Ràdio 4 16/01/2011 remarkably similar way to glass when it is heated and cooled. An interview with Biomechanics and mechanobiology Spanish national newspaper El Mundo covered this story in group leader Damien Lacroix about the new EU-project March. he coordinates, MySpine, was broadcast on Ràdio 4’s L’Observatori programme. n April E-News Biocat 20/01/2011 “Nanomedicine: Where Nanotechnology, biotechnology and Nature Jobs 06/04/2011 the health sciences come together” “Keeping Catalonia’s research revolution on track” IBEC associate director Josep Samitier was a contributor to IBEC featured in a Nature Jobs article, Spotlight on the January edition of Biocat’s e-newsletter. Catalonia, which asked how the region is coping with Spain’s financial crisis, having fostered a successful research hub in a relatively short time. n February El Periódico 11/04/2011 RecerCaixa 13/02/2011 “Sin un andamio de apoyo” Group leader Pau Gorostiza featured in a short video IBEC associate director Josep Samitier was an expert opinion produced by funders RecerCaixa about his project quoted in El Periódico regarding a story about a Japanese ‘Development of light-modulated ligands for remote, non- study that succeeded in growing an embryonic eye from the invasive regulation of neuropathic pain’. stem cells of mice.

El 9 Nou 21/02/2011 El País 12/04/2011 “Cal connectar les mans robotiques amb el nervi perquè “Imaginenano 2011: Primer evento global en España de rebin ordres” nanociencia y nanotechnología” Robotics group leader Alícia Casals appeared in Catalan local Coverage in El País of Imaginenano, one of the largest paper El 9 Nou, which covers the Osona/Ripollès and Vallès European events in nanoscience and nanotechnology which Oriental areas. took place on 11-14 April at Bilbao Exhibition Centre, in which IBEC took part. n March ENT Today 18/04/2011 “System Automatically Monitors Apnea-Hypopnea Index” Research*EU 01/03/2011 Research by the Biomedical Signal Processing and “Protecting nanotechnology research results” Interpretation group featured in the section ‘Literature IBEC’s FP7 project on technology transfer, Nano2Market, Review: A roundup of the most important recent studies’ of was featured in the Commission’s Research*EU magazine ENT Today magazine. supplement (Vol. 30, December 2010/January 2011). Diario Medico 26/04/2011 “La nanomedicina, clave del diagnóstico precoz” An article entitled “Nanomedicine, the key to early diagnosis” including an interview with IBEC associate director Josep Samitier appeared in Diario Medico. 96 | Events and Communications

n May Destacamus 16/06/11 “Xavier Trepat, investigador principal del Laboratori de Interbio website 09/05/11 Dinàmica Cel·lular i del Teixit de l’IBEC” “Feedback on Interbio cross-border research projects” IBEC group leader Xavier Trepat was the subject of an edition Postdoc researcher in the Nanobioengineering group Antoni of Destacamus, a bimonthly magazine published by Biopol’H Homs was asked to give some feedback to be published on which profiles researchers. the website of the collaborative project Interbio.

La Vanguardia 13/05/2011 “Descubierta una nueva célula en el cuerpo humano” n July IBEC group leader Ángel Raya was quoted in an article in La Vanguardia 04/07/11 La Vanguardia about recent research from Harvard that has “Mejorar la vida y potenciar empresas” discovered a cell type previously unknown in the human An article about BioNanoMed Cat appeared in La body. Vanguardia’s Dinero supplement on 19 June, in which Josep Samitier and the director general of Biocat, Montserrat TV3 16/05/11 Vendrell, explain the aim of the IBEC-led alliance. The official press launch of BioNanoMed Catalunya, the IBEC-led platform to promote synergies between groups, Recercat 07/07/11 universities, hospitals and companies doing research in “Líders en recerca: Pau Gorostiza, aportant llum a l’activitat nanotechnology applied to health and biotechnology (page cel·lular” 84), featured in the lunchtime news on TV3 on 13 May. Nanoprobes and Nanoswitches group leader and ICREA professor Pau Gorostiza is featured in an interview in Ara 30/05/11 Recercat, the online newsletter of the Commission for “Volem que el nostre coneixement es traslladi al sector de la Universities and Research of the Ministry of Economy and salut” Knowledge. In the Catalan newspaper Ara, IBEC associate director Josep Samitier was interviewed for a full-page feature. In it, he tells Teraflop 15/07/11 journalist Joan García about the history and goals of IBEC, its “L’estudi de l’efecte biomecànic sobre el cos humà” successes and the challenges it faces. The Biomechanics and Mechanobiology group’s work and Damien Lacroix’s recent ERC grant was the subject of an article in July’s Teraflop, the magazine of the Centre de n June Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya (CESCA). La 2 02/06/11 FET 22/07/11 Angel Raya and his Control of Stem Cell Potency Group “NEUROchem’s new avenues to chemical sensing” appeared in an edition of the tres14 program on national TV The Neurochem project, Biologically inspired computation for channel La 2, which was devoted to the subject of stem cells. chemical sensing, was featured in the July edition of the FET El Global 15/06/11 (Future and Emerging Technologies in Europe) newsletter “La alianza ‘BioNanoMed Catalunya’ une a 18 empresas e which is published by the European Commission. instituciones” La 1 22/07/11 In its June edition, El Global, the most prominent journal on The MICINN meeting in Madrid, which invited the directors the pharmaceutical sector in Spain, featured a news item on of the Severo Ochoa shortlist, was featured on the lunchtime the IBEC-led alliance BioNanoMed Catalunya. news bulletin Telediario on national TV channel La 1 and SEBBM 16/06/11 appeared in several newspapers. “Nanomedicina: nanotecnologías aplicadas a la salud” El Periódico 25/07/11 An article by IBEC associate director Josep Samitier, “Un robot tiene que portarse de forma agradable” ‘Nanomedicina: nanotecnologías aplicadas a la salud’ PhD student Xavier Giralt was interviewed for the ‘Gente appeared in SEBBM, a periodical published by the Sociedad corriente’ section on the back page of El Periódico. Española de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular. Events and Communications | 97

Diario Medico 26/07/11 n November “Identifican una interacción molecular esencial en el Catalunya Ràdio 02/11/11 desarrollo de la epilepsia” Robotics group leader Alicia Casals was interviewed on the The Molecular and Cellular Neurotechnology group’s paper Catalunya Ràdio programme “El Café de la República” in on the development of epilepsy made the news in Diario November. This popular evening programme discusses the Medico, Spain’s leading newspaper for health professionals. news of the day and the ‘hot topics’ of the moment.

TVE2 10/11/11 n August On 23 October, IBEC’s Robotics lab was featured in an BBC 05/08/11 episode of ‘Emprendedores e innovadores’ on TVE2, when “Back pain and disc health ‘linked’ to lack of nutrients” visiting masters student Paloma Fuentes gave viewers a The Biomechanics and Mechanobiology group’s paper in tour of the robot kitchen with the help of IBEC PhD student PLoS Computational Biology made the BBC news. Andrea Manuel Vinagre. Malandrino, Jérôme Noailly and group leader Damien Lacroix’s paper, ‘The effect of sustained compression on oxygen metabolic transport in the intervertebral disc n December decreases with degenerative changes’ describes results that The Discovery Channel 07/12/11 could help to predict the onset of spinal disc degeneration. The Discovery Channel’s Daily Planet programme on 28 November featured a report about the LOTUS project, of youris.com 29.08.11 which IBEC group leader Santiago Marco is a partner. “From wood to bone” Elisabeth Engel, Senior researcher in the Bio/non-bio TV3 13/12/11 interactions for regenerative medicine group, was interviewed IBEC’s research was featured on the TV3 news in an item for the European Research Media Center’s website, youris. filmed to highlight the ‘La Marató de TV3’ telethon. com, for her expert response to some research into bone regeneration conducted by researchers in Italy. youris.com 14/12/11 “A patient-specific predictive platform to treat back pathologies” The European Research Media Center’s website, youris. com, featured an article about the MySpine project, which is coordinated by IBEC group leader Damien Lacroix.

Left-right: group leader Xavier Trepat in Destacamus; filming in the Control of Stem Cell Potency lab: the Robotics lab on TVE2 Notes Notes Compiled and produced by the Communications and Outreach Department, IBEC. Texts by the Communications and Outreach Department and the staff and scientists of IBEC.

Printed in Barcelona by GAM Impremta Digital.

Picture credits: Marc Vergés; Maria Pujol; Christine Panagiotidis; Jordi Anguera; the Communications and Outreach Department, IBEC; the staff and scientists of IBEC. www.ibecbarcelona.eu IBEC ANNUAL REPORT 2011 Baldiri Reixac, 10-12 08028 Barcelona, Spain Tel. +34 934 039 706 Fax. +34 934 039 702 www.ibecbarcelona.eu

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