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Publication alert: Phasor-FLIM visualizes and quantifies polluting nanoplastic particles in live intestinal epithelium

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  Increased micro- and nanoplastic (MNP) pollution and its poorly understood biomedical impact raises questions on their cell and tissue uptake mechanisms and effects on the absorptive tissues. Dmitriev’s team reports a new microscopy-based approach to perform dynamic imaging of dye-modified micro- and nanoplastics (MNP). When combined with stem cell-derived intestinal organoids, with controlled apical and basal polarity, this approach enables for sensitive detection and quantification of MNPs, their internalization and biological effects.  The work was published in Light: Science & Applications , big thanks to all collaborators and researchers involved, especially Irina, Hang (first 'big paper' in PhD) and Bert! We hope to get this research line funded and expand towards studying effects of MNPs on the brain, tooth development and other tissues! Press-release on Eurekalert (14-09-2025)  
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Lab Photo: June 2025

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Up to date photo of our team!   Nore, Irina, Johanna, Magali, Angela, Michele, Gabriele, Teresa*, Sara* and Hang First row: Ruslan  *Sara and Teresa are visiting PhD students funded by MSCA-DN Horizon project FLIMagin3D. 
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New publication: evaluation of GelMA as a Matrigel replacement for small intestinal organoids

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      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...
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New synthetic hydrogels for tumour spheroids and intestinal organoid cultures (publication)

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  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...
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Happy New Year 2025! New publications.

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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 ...
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See the hidden: discover more with FLIM (online event)

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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
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Conference presentations: September 2024

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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...
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