Domaines
Statistical physics
Biophysics
Soft matter
Physics of living systems
Type of internship
Expérimental et théorique Description
To flow through the smallest capillaries, red blood cells must be highly deformable. In pathologies such as sickle cell anemia and spherocytosis, this ability is altered. Cell deformability is therefore a relevant parameter to diagnose and monitor these diseases, but how can it be measured? We use molecular rotors, fluorescent probes whose signal depends on local viscosity [1], to measure the mechanical properties of single cells [2-3]. The challenge is a physical one: understanding how the rotors interact with the cell [4], and relating their fluorescence signal to well-defined physical parameters.
Contact
Berengere ABOU