Biologie

Characterisation of living fully-hydrated stem cells by vibrational microspectroscopy

Induced pluripotent stem cells are obtained by the genetic reprogramming of differentiated adult cells and could provide an unending reservoir of biocompatible cells for medical applications without the destruction of embryos. We work on methods for characterization of the cell ‘stemness’, for the detection of the potentially carcinogenic cells, and for quality control during reprogramming and differentiation in medically relevant cells using vibrational microspectroscopies, infrared and Raman.
Contact: Christophe Sandt

RNA degradation in trypanosomatids

Trypanosomes and leishmanias cause a number of serious diseases in humans and other animals. One of the remarkable features of these parasites is the lack of transcription control. The project aims at the structural characterization of proteins and complexes involved in the mRNA degradation in kinetoplastids, one of the mechanisms available for these parasites to regulate gene expression. 
Contact: Beatriz Guimarães