Ghent University

Michele Cervellera

Michele is starting his flIMAGIN3D doctoral studies at the Tissue Engineering and Biomaterials Lab, Department of Human Structure and Repair at Ghent University.

He obtained an integrated master's degree in Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technologies from Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna.

He conducted his final master's project abroad at the Physical Chemistry Department of the University of Granada, Spain. Alongside probe design, he conducted microwave-assisted synthesis and analytical/photophysical characterizations of novel fluorescent probes with long lifetimes, which are now under patent.

After experiencing different working environments, he realized the value of becoming a full-time researcher and an expert in FLIM (Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy). Starting in September 2023, he joined Professor Ruslan Dmitriev's laboratory to work on a project focused on developing FRET sensors for FLIM readouts of mechanobiological sensing in cancer imaging, co-supervised by Prof. Kees Jalink at NKI (Netherlands Cancer Institute).

When not working in the lab Michele is often cooking, playing or watching sports and, last but not least, finding somewhere new in the world to travel to.

flIMAGIN3D PROJECT

The project is about the rapid development of FRET sensors optimized for FLIM readouts of mechanobiological sensing and cellular response in imaging cancer.

3D cultures and organoids will be used to highlight the importance that mechanical forces have been shown such as modulators of a variety of mechanosensing elements.

Gabriele Ferrari

Gabriele joined Prof. Ruslan I. Dmitriev in September 2023 at Ghent University to start his PhD studies at the Department of Human Structure and Repair. He obtained his Master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering at Politecnico di Milano (Italy) with a specialisation in Bioengineering for Cells, Tissues and Biotechnologies. During his internship at Politecnico di Milano he started working in the field of advanced in-vitro models, millifluidic and microphysiological systems focusing on modelling the glymphatic system in Alzheimer’s disease, supervised by Prof. Carmen Giordano and Dr. Diego Albani from Mario Negri Institute.

At Imperial College London he worked with Prof. Adam Celiz at the Tissue Engineering and Biomaterials lab to develop advanced biomaterials for heart regeneration after myocardial infarction and wound healing. As a former competitive swimmer he enjoys swimming and teaching swimming to children, an activity he has been dedicated to for many years.

flIMAGIN3D PROJECT

At Ghent University, he is currently focused on detecting and manipulating hypoxia and cellular metabolism using ratiometric and FLIM/PLIM analysis while exploring various oxygen sensing probes. His primary applications are in cancer research exploiting spheroids and organoids, as well as in 3D bioprinting and advanced in-vitro models. During his PhD studies, he will join Prof. Dr. Michael Kühl at the University of Copenhagen to investigate hypoxia in microbial biofilms and aquatic organisms.

Hang Zhou

Zhou Hang is a PhD student at Ghent University within the MSCA-DN project flIMAGIN3D, where he focuses on FLIM-assisted analysis of intestinal organoid metabolism.

As a molecular biology expert, Hang has proficiency in molecular cloning techniques including primer design, PCR, ligation, and plasmid construction. He is highly skilled in a range of molecular detection methods such as gel electrophoresis, quantitative PCR, western blotting, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. In cellular techniques, Hang has cultivated various mammalian cell lines and mastered diverse methods of genetic modification including liposome-mediated transfection for rapid gene delivery and lentiviral transduction for stable cell line generation.

For his Master's thesis work at Chongqing Medical University from 2020-2023, Hang employed advanced 3D heterotypic multicellular spheroid models to investigate the role of macrophages in skin wound healing processes. He pioneered the use of nanobody-driven volumetric immunofluorescence imaging techniques to visualize in detail the densely packed structures and proliferation phenotypes within spheroids. By integrating this high-content imaging data with machine learning algorithms, Hang accurately analyzed the spatial and temporal dynamics of fibroblast spheroid growth. He also employed a highly innovative and cost-effective sessile drop array platform to culture spheroids efficiently.

flIMAGIN3D PROJECT

This project, FLIM-assisted analysis of the intestinal organoid metabolism, aims to develop and validate a set of live biosensing tools including oxygen probes, NAD(P)H-FLIM, and biosensor scaffolds to produce a cell atlas visually mapping the bioenergetics of specific cell types within intestinal organoids.

Kings College London

Dinesh Beniwal

Dinesh Beniwal, hailing from India, holds an Integrated Master's degree from the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Bhubaneswar. His academic interests encompass linear and nonlinear optical physics, non-Hermitian physics (with a focus on Exceptional Points), photonics, Optical and fluorescence microscopy, and biophysics. During his integrated master's journey, he has worked on various domains of physics. He investigated spatial characteristics of light in the presence of optical nonlinearities and optothermal effects for his Master's project under the supervision of Dr. Ritwick Das. Alongside this, he has also studied higher-order Exceptional points in optical microcavities under the guidance of Dr. Somnath Ghosh. His passion lies in unravelling the mysteries of light and its practical applications. His journey is marked by a commitment to bridging theoretical insights with real-world innovations, promising a bright future of scientific contributions.

flIMAGIN3D PROJECT

We propose a form of DSLM (digitally scanned light-sheet microscopy) whereby the illumination and imaging planes are not co-planar, enabling complete optical reconstruction of the object with parallel detection using a SPAD array. Application in a selective plane modality, whilst challenging, has huge potential to drive the application of FLIM and optical biosensors into 3D bioengineered cell culture applications, which are currently impossible.

Görkem Sabriye Ülkâr

Görkem Ülkâr grew up and studied in the Netherlands, and holds a BSc and MSc in Bio-Pharmaceutical Sciences with a specialization in Systems Biomedicine and Pharmacology from Leiden University. Her journey through academia involved a variety of independent research projects and teaching assistant roles paving the way for her current PhD project at King's College London (UK).

During her academic journey, she delved into various intriguing topics. At the University of Oxford (UK), she explored the circadian regulation of HIV and the influence of drug treatment on HIV-1 infection. At the University of Cambridge (UK), she identified and evaluated novel modulators of the TRPM8 ion channel. At the Institute of Biology Leiden (NL), she investigated the drug pentoxifylline for treating neonatal sepsis in a zebrafish larvae model. At the Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research (NL), she researched the role of the chaperone protein HSPA5 in the unfolded protein response triggered by drug-induced kidney injury.

Her diverse research background has fueled a strong interest in pursuing her doctoral project focused on FLIM and imaging mechanobiological sensing and cellular response in cancer under the supervision of Professor Maddy Parsons. She is excited about the knowledge and discoveries that await her on this journey!

flIMAGIN3D PROJECT

Görkem's PhD research investigates mechanobiological sensing and cellular response in cancer using FLIM-based sensors to study membrane tension, protein activation, and biochemical signals in 3D scaffolded cells. She will research metabolic changes' impact on tumour progression via 3D cancer cultures, studying biomechanical signalling’s influence on cell phenotypes and drug-induced toxicity.

Netherland Cancer Institute

Giulia Zanetti

Giulia Zanetti is a Pharmaceutical Biotechnologist with a strong interest in molecular biology and cancer research. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Biotechnology in 2020 and her Master's degree in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology in 2022, with honours, from the University of Perugia (Italy).

Since 2019, to write her thesis for both degrees, she worked as a trainee in a Cellular and Molecular Biology Laboratory at the Department of Medicine and Surgery, General Pathology section, of the University of Perugia (Italy). Within her experimental thesis, she focused on the dynamic localization of HOPS (Hepatocyte Odd Protein Shuttling) during cytokinesis and its interactions with key proteins involved in proliferation regulation. This project aimed to gain deep knowledge of the molecular basis of cellular proliferation for potential diagnostic and therapeutic advancements in oncology.

After her Master's, she completed a 9-month Erasmus traineeship at the Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI) in Amsterdam, investigating resistance mechanisms to FGFR2 inhibitors in breast cancer within Jos Jonkers's research group.

In November 2023, Giulia began her Ph.D. journey in Professor Kees Jalink's laboratory at the Netherlands Cancer Institute within the MSCA Doctoral Network flIMAGIN3D project where her project is focused on FRET-FLIM-based pooled screening assays to elucidate dynamic cell signalling pathways efficiently.

flIMAGIN3D Project

Her Ph.D. project is focused on studying the dynamics of cell signalling pathways in FRET-FLIM-based pooled screening assays. This approach involves using viral CRISPR gene knockout libraries to randomly knock down one single gene per cell within a large population. The data generated from this assay is going to be subjected to image-based analysis using novel machine learning algorithms that will allow the proper and logical classification of the knockout.

Polytechnic University of Milan

Srijan Chakraborty

Srijan Chakraborty obtained his Bachelor in Technology in Mechanical Engineering from KIIT University, India in 2019. During that time, he interned at the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, India, where he worked on synthesizing and characterizing PEG-coated nano-ceria for tackling reactive oxygen species formation in cochlear implants. Additionally, he interned at the Indian Institute of Science where he worked on developing a novel binder jet 3-D printing technique of ceramics for medical scaffolds. As his interest grew in the field of biomedical engineering, following his bachelor's degree, he pursued a Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering from KU Leuven, Belgium. Here, he completed various projects in an international environment, developing skills in collaborating and planning with groups. Subsequently, as a Master’s thesis student in the field of mechanobiology, he investigated the role of ROCKs in the change of force exertion upon Cerebral cavernous malformation gene loss during angiogenic sprouting, which required extensive cell culture and imaging using confocal microscopy. This thesis also entailed analysing data using MATLAB and automating nuclei image analysis in FIJI using macros. To fulfil his longtime goal of becoming a proficient researcher, he decided to pursue a PhD under the flIMAGIN3D network at Politecnico di Milano. 

flIMAGIN3D PROJECT

His project is focused on predicting the mechanical and mass transport field variables to which any cells are subjected during culture in 3D cancer models developed in vitro and implanted in embryonated avian eggs.

Trinity College London

Sara Corbezzolo

Sara Corbezzolo is a biomedical engineer from Italy. After obtaining the Bachelor’s degree at the University of Bologna (2020), she moved to Turin to undertake a 2-years Master’s Degree programme with a focus on tissue engineering, regenerative medicine and biomaterials.

In 2022  she worked on her master’s thesis project on cardiac regeneration post-myocardial infarction (MI) at The Monaghan Lab, Trinity College (Dublin, Ireland). The project aimed to develop cardiac patches able to improve cardiac regeneration after MI; in order to achieve this, the meltelectrowriting (MEW) additive manufacturing technique was employed for printing these novel cardiac patches with the perspective of ameliorating post-MI inflammatory response and meeting the biomechanical needs of the native heart muscle.

After receiving her Master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering in July 2023 at the Polytechnic of Turin, she returned to the Monaghan lab to conduct her MSCA PhD project on FLIM imaging from September 2023.

flIMAGIN3D PROJECT

To date, her project focuses on combining the measurement of FLIM photonics with electrophysiological measurements and stimulation obtained employing transparent microelectrode arrays (tMEA). She will focus on cardiac iPSCs cell-specific electrophysiological recordings to better understand the interdependence of iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes with complimentary cardiac cell types (macrophages, endothelial cells, fibroblasts).

Annalisa Rovinelli

Annalisa received her bachelor's degree in Chemistry and Materials Chemistry at Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna. She continued her studies with a master’s in Photochemistry and Molecular Materials (University of Bologna) and she carried out her master’s thesis project during an Erasmus + Internship in Strasbourg, where she worked under the supervision of Dr. Andrey Klymchenko (CNRS director) and Rémi Pelletier (post-doctoral researcher at the University of Strasbourg), in the Nanochemistry and Bioimaging team (CNRS, Strasbourg).

Her master’s project consisted of the development of electrospun polymeric fibres for Single-Molecule Localization-Microscopy (PAINT) imaging and studying the thermal properties of photoresponsive dye-loaded polymeric fibres and rods.

flIMAGIN3D PROJECT

Her PhD is focused on the development of an isotropic resolution 3D imaging platform for fluorescence lifetime imaging (ISO-FLIM) to visualise fast molecular dynamics and acquire quantitative data associated with cardiomyocyte function within live bioengineered human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) derived cardiomyocyte cultures. 

Guangchen Wang

Guangchen Wang is a dedicated researcher and Ph.D. student with a passion for pushing the boundaries of technology and knowledge. Currently, he is fortunate to be part of a wonderful team at Trinity College Dublin, working under the guidance of Prof. Mimi Zhang and Prof. Michael Monaghan.

Hailing from China, he embarked on a journey that led me through the vibrant worldwide academic communities. His educational foundation was laid at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science. This marked the beginning of his pursuit of knowledge and innovation.

His academic journey has been stamped by a diverse range of experiences in computer science. His proficiency spans across multiple domains, including software engineering, search engine technology, data analysis, robotic control systems, and even game development. This multifaceted background has equipped him with a holistic understanding of the computational world and its far-reaching applications.

As we embark on this exciting journey, he is deeply grateful for the opportunity to work alongside my distinguished colleagues and mentors. Together, he hopes to leave a lasting imprint on the world and inspire future scholars.

flIMAGIN3D PROJECT

The primary task is to establish a semi-automated machine learning pipeline that supports popular FLIM file formats and contains a FLIM algorithm library that can be utilized and modified easily by a developer. The system will ultimately present as an intuitive FLIM analysis tool that can be used easily and directly by bench biologists, as well as integrating FLIM analysis with versatile microscopy image analysis.

University of Copenhagen

Rishi Harkhoe

During his bachelor's degree in Engineering Physics, he has gained a strong interest in biophotonics. Through university projects and internships, he has gained experience in this field, starting with a project where he modelled the photoacoustic effect. He was able to achieve this by simulating photon transport with the Monte Carlo method in C++, and by coupling this to an acoustic wave simulation toolbox in MATLAB. His interest in biophotonics continued during his master's degree in Biomedical Technology and Physics, which he finished with two internship projects. In one project he set up a standardised method to quantify fluorescence with a combined imaging technique containing optical coherence tomography (OCT) and near infrared fluorescence (NIRF). Coincidentally, his graduation internship project was about fluorescence lifetime imaging which he will continue with during his PhD. He finds this to be the most captivating imaging technique, and therefore he is enthusiastic to dedicate himself to this project.

flIMAGIN3D Project

Their aim is to realise 3D mapping of the extracellular and intracellular chemical microenvironment in biofilms to understand this microbial lifestyle. This will be done by developing new experimental platforms that are compatible with fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy setups. Together with collaborators, it will also be explored to use the developed techniques for studying organoids and other biomedical systems.

University of Tübingen

Teresa Badissera

Teresa Baldissera studied Biomedical Engineering at Politecnico di Milano, achieving her Bachelor’s Degree in 2020, with a thesis on the physicomechanical characterization of cross-linked gelatin hydrogels for drug delivery and tissue engineering. She continued her studies at Politecnico di Milano for the Master of Science, specializing in 
Bioengineering for Cells, Tissues and Biotechnology. For her Master’s thesis, she joined the Mechanobiology Lab of Prof. Raimondi and worked, under the guidance of Prof. Jacchetti, on the development and characterization of 3D microstructured porous devices as new tools in the therapeutic field. In particular, she investigated in silico the effect of mesenchymal stem cell traction forces on the NICHOID artificial niche and improved the device by developing a new injectable cellularized microniche to be implanted. She also focused on the validation of an in vitro model to predict the immune reaction to the implantation of 3D porous NICHOID scaffolds with different pore sizes.
Her thesis received the Master Thesis Award 2023 ‘Franco Maria Montevecchi - Politecnico di Torino’ issued by the GNB (National Group of Bioengineering).  It has also been selected as a finalist to be presented to the ESB-ITA2023 for the Master Thesis Award. She recently joined Prof. Schenke-Layland’s Lab at the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen as a PhD candidate within the MSCA Doctoral Network flIMAGIN3D project.

flIMAGIN3D PROJECT

The goal of the project is to investigate how hypoxic conditions and alterations in biomechanical properties affect the physiological conditions of vascular cells and tissues. A microfluidic platform will be implemented with multimodal analytical properties including FLIM to develop 2D and 3D vascular models.