Metabolic Imaging & Tissue engineering Group News

      In our new study (collaboration between Ghent University and Rousselot BV) we report application of GelMA (gelatin methacryloyl) hydrogels with tuneable mechanical properties and added laminin to the culture of the small intestinal organoids. We found that mechanical properties alone are not sufficient for basement membrane support, resulting in polarity reversion, in contrast to the Matrigel-grown cultures. Altogether, observed polarity reversion phenomenon highlights importance of the further research in biochemical factors, directing cell polarity in the epithelial cells, while it also provides a tractable way for producing 'apical-out' organoids. Congratulations to Lenie (for her work on this MSc research project), Irina (for her supervision and driving force), Thomas and Ruben for expertise with gelatins and Bert for expertise with pig intestinal organoids. The work has been published in the Journal of Tissue Engineering (Open Access): https://journals.sagepub...

  We collaborated with groups of Prof. Richard Hoogenboom and Prof. Devriendt (Ghent University) and tested application of poly(2-alkyl-2-oxazoline) hydrogels (PAOx) for 3D cell cultures of cancer and stem cells. We found that encapsulation of small intestinal organoids into PAOx hydrogels results in polarity reversion, i.e. transition from basal to apical-out phenotype. This is useful for studying drug delivery, nutrient absorption and host-microbiota interactions within this model.  This figure shows dramatic differences of mitochondrial polarisation (TMRM) and appearance (transmission light) in small intestinal organoids, observed after apical-out transition (PAOx), in contrast to conventional Matrigel-grown culture: Since the PAOx hydrogels can show variable mechanical properties, we tested if encapsulation into stiff and soft hydrogels can affect behaviour of cancer cells in 3D: indeed, with HCT116 spheroids we found that stiffness of the hydrogels affect cell migration f...

Wow, time really does fly! It's been a while since our previous update but by no means our team was idle.  End of 2024 was memorable with exciting conferences, including SPAOM 2024, Histochemical Society Annual online meeting 2024, FHERITALE consortium and others! We've received funding to study neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases (more news soon) so we can plan new & exciting research projects. Our team currently hosts 2 international researchers, Valerie Cote and Dr. Simone Perottoni, both learning and doing exciting science in FLIM, organoids and imaging of cancer cells / tissues. In addition, we are looking forward to host more of PhD students from FLIMagin3D consortium! Here are some recent publications, from our team and collaborative research projects: Sheehan A, Okkelman IA, Groslambert G, Bucher C, Dmitriev RI, Filatov MA: Optoelectronic Properties and Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Application of Donor-Acceptor Dyads Derived From 2,6-DicarboxyBODIPY ...

Prof. R. Dmitriev will participate in online event 'See the hidden: discover more with FLIM' on 10-Oct-2024! More info & registration can be found here: https://events.bitesizebio.com/see-the-hidden-discover-more-with/join

Our team is growing and we can present at the same time in two different places now! PhD candidate Nore Van Loon (joint project with FunGen lab, Prof. S. Vergult) gave a talk at the Methods and Applications of Fluorescence 2024 conference (8-11 September Valencia, Spain)! She presented her work in progress on using autofluorescence and fluorescent cholera toxin labelling to monitor differentiation of neural cells in human iPSC-derived 'brain' organoids. This work is a part of ongoing efforts of bringing together multi-omics approaches and advanced imaging of organoids to better understand aetiology of such neurodevelopmental disorders as FOXG1 syndrome, funded by the Special Research Fund at Ghent University (BOF) and Marguerite-Marie Delacroix foundation. At the same time, Prof. Ruslan Dmitriev travelled to Munster, Germany, to present an invited lecture on imaging oxygenation and cell metabolism in multicellular spheroids in 4th Inflammation & Imaging symposium! This l...

ALERT: New publication from our group! Angela, Gabriele, Hang, Nore, Nina and Irina teamed up to produce a video protocol paper, focusing on comparing various multicellular spheroid formation methods, suitable for 'downstream' live multi-parameter fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) and imaging cell oxygenation. This protocol is illustrated with examples of autofluorescence-based FLIM microscopy of NAD(P)H, oxygenation and cell death, as well as imaging of visible flavin-based cell autofluorescence, performed in tumour and stem cell-derived spheroids. The article is also a part of the Methods collection 'Quantitative Live Cell Imaging of 3D Models', which is going to expand in the future.    Link to the publication: https://www.jove.com/t/66845/production-multi-parameter-live-cell-fluorescence-lifetime-imaging The Methods Collection (Journal of Visualised Experiments, JOVE):  https://app.jove.com/methods-collections/902