Post-doctoral fellowship of the JSPS on the project : Microstructured and vascularized 3D tissues developed in vitro

LIMMS/CNRS-IIS IRL 2820 (Laboratory for Integrated Micro Mechatronic Systems) is an international laboratory between the French CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) and Institute of Industrial Science (IIS), The University of Tokyo, located in Komaba, Tokyo. LIMMS has more than 27 years of experience in international cooperative research and has welcomed more than 300 researchers from France and Europe.

LIMMS opens a new postdoctoral position in the laboratory of Professor Beomjoon Kim, Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo, having main emphasis on microneedle-mediated transdermal drug delivery system, bio sensors, as well as optical therapy. The project in collaboration with Dr. Vincent Salles (Univ of Lyon and ) is focused on tissue engineering using specific scaffold preparation.  LIMMS/CNRS-IIS (IRL2820).

The project is also conducted in collaboration with two other teams belonging to the same institute of the University of Tokyo: Pr. Yukiko Matsunaga and Pr. Yoshiho Ikeuchi.

Beomjoon KIM, Dr. Eng. Professor, former director of LIMMS/CNRS-IIS UMI 2820

CIRMM, Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo

http://www.kimlab.iis.u-tokyo.ac.jp/publication/publication.html

Collaborators:

Yukiko MATSUNAGA

J Cacheux et al., Asymmetry of tensile vs. compressive elasticity and permeability contributes to the regulation of exchanges in collagen gels. arXiv preprint arXiv:2212.00915

J. Pauty et al., A 3D Tissue Model-On-A-Chip for Studying the Effects of Human Senescent Fibroblasts on Blood Vessels. Biomater. Sci. 2021, 9. doi: 10.1039/d0bm01297a

Yoshiho IKEUCHI

C. Sya et al., Human sensory neurons modulate melanocytes through secretion of RGMB. Cell Rep. 2022, 40(12). doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111366. PMID: 36130522

K. Kashiwagi et al., eIF2B-capturing viral protein NSs suppresses the integrated stress response. Nat. Commun. 2021, 12(1). doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-27337-x

Vincent Salles

R. Gauthier et al., 3D Electrospun Polycaprolactone Scaffolds to Assess Human Periodontal Ligament Cells Mechanobiological Behaviour. Biomimetics 2023, 8. doi: 10.3390/biomimetics8010108

L. Dejob et al., Nitrate-Free Synthesis and Electrospinning of Carbonated Hydroxyapatite Coatings on TA6V Implants. Adv. Mater. Interf. 2022, 2102342. doi: 10.1002/admi.202102342.

Responsibilities:

Principal investigator and his colleagues at the Institute of Industrial Science (IIS), the University of Tokyo, are working on the in vitro development of complex tissues vascularized in 3D. In tissue engineering, producing in vitro organs or part of organs remains a challenge on several aspects. One of the issues that researchers are still facing is first producing vascularized tissues, and then implanting these new tissues into the patient’s body by connecting the implant to the vascular system of the patient. Our scientific approach is to develop protocols to create interconnected vessels with controlled sizes, as well as to control the positioning of surrounding cells with a technology based on the use of spheroids.

The project consists of (1) the manufacturing of a resorbable scaffold by direct writing electrospinning, and (2) the study of cell behavior to form new vessels and adapt co-culture protocols. The prospective postdoctoral researcher is expected to join and pursue this project.

The laboratory is well equipped regarding scaffold fabrication and characterization techniques. Furthermore, this project being at the interface between materials science and biology, it will be conducted in collaboration with two other teams belonging to the same institute of the University of Tokyo: Pr. Yukiko Matsunaga and Pr. Yoshiho Ikeuchi. Another (international) collaboration already underway, will expand the expertise and scientific contributions.

Fellowship periods and periods for arrival in Japan:

Two years starting between September 1st and November 30, 2023

Rewards: Paid equivalent to the JSPS Post-Doctoral position

1. Airfare: A round-trip air ticket (based on JSPS’S regulations)

2. Maintenance Allowance: 362,000 JPY per month

3. Miscellaneous: A setting-in allowance of 200,000 JPY, Overseas travel insurance, etc.

Skills: Candidates are expected to have a background of bioengineering, biomedicine. Skills on microfabrication will be helpful. A challenging spirit would help a lot for tackling this interdisciplinary and cutting-edge research area.
 

Goals: In 6 months, the prospective postdoctoral researcher will have to master all the established protocols, both for the fabrication of scaffolds and for cell culture. This will help to finalize within the first year the whole process of fabrication of a vascularized tissue in 2D, before moving on to the 3D phase. The latter should last one year, taking into account the adaptation steps necessary for the transition from 2D to 3D, particularly with regard to the characterization of thick tissues.