Technology unit
Bioassays, Microsystems and Optical Engineering

Engineer and customize bioanalytical tools for deciphering, detecting and characterizing infectious disease pathogens, evaluating vaccines and therapies on pathogen and on the immunological host response.

Bioassays, Microsystems & Optical Engineering

We provide you with innovative bioanalytical technologies for infectious diseases and microbiota.

Engineered and customized bioanalytical tools are important for deciphering, detecting and characterizing infectious disease pathogens, evaluating vaccines and therapies for pathogens, and for the immunological host response.

The current technological challenges in healthcare and microbiology are numerous, including fast diagnostic, point of care devices, personalized and actionable medicine, standardization and automation. In this context there is need for more sensitive and multiplex tools for the reliable handling and characterization of complex samples.

BIOASSAYS, MICROSYSTEMS & OPTICAL ENGINEERING

WITHIN THIS FRAMEWORK, BIOASTER FOCUSES ON:

  • Microfluidics.
    We develop microfluidic systems (droplet microfluidics, continuous-flow, inertial microfluidics) to manipulate or sort cells and to create biomimicking devices to more closely recapitulate in vivo physiological conditions.

ADSORB: Hydrogel-based microfluidic platform for controlled biofilm formation and analysis.

BLOOD-ON-CHIP

 

  • Immunomonitoring.
    We develop and customize immunomonitoring technologies applied to infectious diseases and microbiota. We perform standard cellular analyses and bioassays but also develop customized assays (highly multiplexed cytometry panels, single-molecule detection assays, biosensors for analyte detection…) to assist with and expand the scope of your projects.

CHIKV: Development of a rapid diagnostic test supporting drug development in the field of chikungunya infection
COVID19 rapid diagnostic tests and humoral response evaluation study
COLPLEX: Tool for developing sensitive multiplex assays via in-solution detection
ONCHOCERCIASIS: Development of a lateral flow assay for Onchocerciasis detection

 

  • Advanced optics.
    We customize optical tools dedicated to the phenotypic characterization of (prokaryote and eukaryote) single cells and biofluids. We rely on multiple physical phenomena where light interacts with the sample (absorption, scattering, autofluorescence) in order to probe morphology, phase shift and chemical composition, in a label-free, non-destructive and longitudinal manner. We associate advanced optical technologies (holographic microscopy, Raman micro-spectroscopy) with ad hoc signal processing and data analysis, including artificial intelligence approaches, to identify phenotypes and modes of action, to “make visible the invisible”.

HoloMoA: Digital Holographic Microscopy and Artificial Intelligence for the rapid detection of the Mechanism of Action of antimicrobials, including novelty detection

CODIRA: Advanced optics for rapid bacteria detection and Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing (AST)

  • An integrated engineering approach.
    From design to prototype (method, microfluidic chip, biosensor, integrated system, automated instrument). Our multi-disciplinary experts work together to tailor the most appropriate integrated solutions, featuring sample processing, liquid handling, signal generation and amplification, signal detection and transduction, signal processing and data analysis. Advanced bio-mimicking, multi-dimensional (single cell temporal and functional assays), analytical systems can be created to ease technological bottlenecks and answer unmet biological/medical needs.


DROPCELL : To characterize cytokine secretion at single cell level. 

Christophe Védrine
Christophe VédrineHead of Bioassays, Microsystems and Optical engineering unitIcon email