Cells, Organoids and Biophysics

We are interested both in fundamental questions, such as how ultrasound can interact with cells, as well as method development, such as how one can efficiently stimulate and obtain electrical recordings from organoids. 

We work with 3D cell cultures and organoids and are part of the Carl Zeiss Center on Precision Organoid Engineering for Multi-Organ Interaction Studies (POEM). The work on ultrasound-cell interactions is also performed as part of the Max Planck – Yonsei IBS Center for Deep Tissue Nanoscale Control.

The following is a list with some current research questions and projects which we are working on. 

Biophysical basis that underlies ultrasound-cell interactions: How can a pressure wave exactly trigger a cell response? We tune the physical parameters and perform multi parameter read-outs on a variety of cell systems. Advances in this field can be transformative for potential therapeutic applications, including neurostimulation.

Electrical read-out and stimulation of organoids and branoids: Multi-electrode arrays are limited in the number of organoids that can be obersrved and are often very expensive and cumbersome to use. We plan to change this with technologies that we are developing.

Microtools to explore tumor drug-response in 3D: The response to a therapeutic drug not only varies from patient to patient, but also within a tumor. We are building microrobotic tools to explore the tumor environment in response to therapeutics. Within the Health + Life Science Alliance Heidelberg Mannheim and collaborators in the Heidelberg Medical School, (Spatial Omics Lab of Denis Schapiro), we analyse the cellular response with single-cell profiling tools.