Abstract :

SMMiL-E is the mirror structure of LIMMS (CNRS-IIS/The University of Tokyo) taking collaborative actions against cancer with partners in Lille, i.e. University of Lille and Centre Oscar Lambret.

Basic microsystems facilities have been established to allow engineers, biologists and clinicians work together in a medical environment. After a brief explanation of this structure including the facilities, I will detail a couple of SMMiL-E projects, focusing on the use of biophysical properties of biological samples. Such properties indicating biological and chemical states of biological samples can be used at the molecular or cellular level for clinical purposes as drug testing, disease monitoring, and disease assessment. The physical properties of cells potentially reflect the state of disease development. Therefore, biophysical characterization can be a good alternative to immunoaffinity based approaches for diagnostic purposes. Silicon tweezers will be introduced and demonstrated on different biological samples, such as DNA, microtubules and cells, for different chemical, biological and clinical purposes as examples of projects within SMMiL-E.