Developing equipment for electropermeabilization

Partners : XLIM (Limoges), Faculty of Electrical Engineering (Ljubljana), VAT (Villejuif)
This WP consists in the development and characterizaton of the new exposure systems that will be used by the partners in charge of the biological experimentation. The inclusion of these tasks within the LEA provides the partners with robust common equipment, a very important in the very new field of the nanopulses, for which no standardized equipment is yet available. The common use of this equipment by several groups might also contribute to establish these missing standards.

Developing theoretical models

Partners : SRSMC (Nancy), IPBS (Toulouse), Faculty of Electrical Engineering (Ljubljana), VAT (Villejuif)
Here numerical models are divided into three classes: (1) Microscopic models where cell membrane is considered at the level of its molecular structure. In this context, electroporation is studied using atomistic and coarse-grained molecular dynamic (MD) simulations. (2) Macroscopic models (e.g. finite element models), where the microscopic structure of the membrane is not taken into account and the membrane is considered as continuum (e.g. a boundary condition in finite element models). (3) Tissue-scale models, where detailed cell structure is not considered and the bulk properties of the tissues are used instead.

Experimental electroporation: from lipid bilayers to medical applications.

Partners : Institute of Oncology (Ljubljana), IPBS (Toulouse), Faculty of Electrical Engineering (Ljubljana), VAT (Villejuif)
This WPs addresses the experimental work on planar bilayers, lipid vesicles, cells and tissues that the LEA partners are doing independently (or through separate bilateral collaborations) and that they consider to jointly develop within the LEA. This includes the use of a small animal imaging platform to analyse in vivo tissue exposure to microsecond and nanosecond electric pulses, to gene electrotransfer, etc. and the development of new biotechnological and medical applications of the microsecond and nanosecond electric pulses, if previous experiments suggest such applications. The application of the technologies is foreseen in clinical trials that will be planned and conducted at the Institute of Oncology Ljubljana and at the Institute Gustave-Roussy (VAT – Villejuif).

Dissemination of the electropermeabilization-based technologies and treatments

Partners : SRSMC (Nancy), XLIM (Limoges), Institute of Oncology (Ljubljana), IPBS (Toulouse), Faculty of Electrical Engineering (Ljubljana), VTA (Villejuif)This includes - Classical dissemination tasks (scientific publications, meeting attendance, etc)- Exchange of students and personnel from the components of the LEA - Internship in the LEA of students external to the LEA, directly or in the frame of next subtask - and Training courses held yearly in Ljubljana.