Gene regulatory mechanisms in the launch process of T cell development
We’re honoured to welcome Dr. Ellen Rothenberg, Edward B. Lewis Professor of Biology at Caltech, for a special research seminar.
Events
Calendar
- This event has passed.
Special Research Seminar: Visiting Scholars from the University of Exeter LSI
Meeting ID: 693 4383 4453
Passcode: 608808
Location:
Lecture Theatre B1001, Gordon B. Shrum Building (SHRM)
Join us for a special research seminar featuring visiting researchers from the Living Systems Institute (LSI), University of Exeter. This session will showcase the Institute’s interdisciplinary approach to understanding living systems, bringing together expertise across physics, mathematics, biology, and biomedical science. We will also feature presentations from SBME trainees who are participating in research exchanges at the University of Exeter in Summer 2026.
LSI is a flagship research institute at the University of Exeter, dedicated to decoding the complexity of life across scales—from sub-molecular processes to whole organisms, and from microbes to humans. Its mission is to discover, understand, and ultimately control the fundamental rules that govern living systems. Established in 2017, LSI brings together a diverse community of scientists in a modern, purpose-built environment designed to foster collaboration and innovation at the interface of disciplines.
- Dr. Ben Housden, Associate Professor of Functional Genomics, Director of Business Engagement and Innovation, LSI and Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences
Discovering novel therapeutic strategies for Neurofibromatosis type 1 - Dr. Fabrice Gielen, Senior Lecturer, LSI, Physics & Astronomy
The Hidden Life of Phages: Uncovering Bacteria-Phage Interactions in Droplet Confinement - Dr. Junning Chen, Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, leading the Tissue Biomechanics and Mechanobiology Group, Faculty Director of Global Student Recruitment
Multiscale Structure and Mechanics of Extracellular Matrices: Toward Next-Generation Orthopaedic Biomaterials and Therapeutics - Dr. Koji Masuda, EPSRC Postdoctoral Fellow, LSI, Physics & Astronomy (Prof. Frank Vollmer’s Group)
Single-molecule biosensing using optical WGM cavities
Additional SBME Trainee Presentation
We will also feature a presentation from Megha Srinivas, an SBME PhD student in Dr. Govind Kaigala’s lab who will be completing a research exchange at the Living Systems Institute with Dr. Frank Vollmer, and Yeganeh Dorri Nokoorani, a PhD student in Dr. Nika Shakiba’s lab who will be undertaking a research exchange at the Living Systems Institute with Dr. Austin Smith.
To learn more about the SBME–LSI PhD Exchange Program, please see: https://bme.ubc.ca/research/sbme-lsi-phd-exchange-program/
—
Trainee Lunch with the Visiting Researchers
Immediately following the seminar, SBME trainees are invited to join an in-person lunch discussion with the visiting delegation. This informal session offers an opportunity to connect directly with faculty members from Exeter, learn about their research environments, and explore exchange opportunities. A separate sign-up link was shared with trainees via email. Please reach out to melody.salehzadeh@ubc.ca if you are interested but have not received the signup link.
Dr. Ben Housden
Discovering novel therapeutic strategies for Neurofibromatosis type 1
Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a common autosomal dominant genetic disorder affecting approximately 1 in 2,500 individuals, caused by mutation of the NF1 gene. The disease presents with remarkable clinical heterogeneity, including the formation of benign and malignant tumours along peripheral nerves, pigmentation abnormalities of the skin and eyes, cardiovascular and skeletal defects, as well as cognitive impairments and an increased susceptibility to multiple cancer types. Despite advances in treatment, including the use of MEK inhibitors, many patients experience limited benefit and significant adverse effects, highlighting the need for improved therapeutic strategies.
In our previous work, we employed a cross-species screening approach to systematically map genetic dependencies in NF1-deficient cells. This strategy has enabled the identification of a network of vulnerabilities that not only provides insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying NF1-associated pathologies, but also reveals candidate targets for therapeutic intervention. Building on these findings, we are pursuing both drug repurposing strategies and the development of novel agents against the most promising targets. Finally, we are also exploring the feasibility of prophylactic interventions aimed at preventing tumour formation in NF1 patients, offering a potential shift from reactive to preventative treatment.
Speaker bio
Ben Housden is an Associate Professor of Functional Genomics at the Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, UK, where his research centres on developing innovative methodologies for drug–target discovery. His work aims to bridge fundamental biology and translational science, with a particular focus on identifying new therapeutic strategies for genetic diseases. He is currently leading research into Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), a tumour predisposition disorder, using advanced functional genomics approaches to uncover novel treatment opportunities.
Alongside his academic research, Ben serves as Director of Business Engagement and Innovation for both the Living Systems Institute and the Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences. In this role, he fosters collaborations with industry partners and supports academic colleagues in translating their research into real-world impact through commercialisation, partnerships, and innovation initiatives.
Ben also contributes at a national level as Industry Partnerships Manager for the UK Human Functional Genomics Initiative, a government and industry-funded programme. Here, he facilitates strategic and project-specific collaborations between academia and industry, helping to strengthen the UK’s functional genomics ecosystem and accelerate the application of cutting-edge research across sectors.
Dr. Fabrice Gielen
Uncovering Bacteria-Phage Interactions in Droplet Confinement
The rise of antimicrobial resistance and “superbugs” has renewed interest in bacteriophages (commonly called phages), bacteria’s natural killer viruses, as an alternative to antibiotics to treat infections where conventional antibiotics fail to work. If bacteriophage therapy is to progress from trials to successful wide adoption, we will require deeper knowledge of the phage life cycle for a wider range of phages and environmental conditions to rapidly predict the success of phages infecting and killing bacteria. To tackle this long-standing problem, we developed quasi-flat droplet microfluidic platforms that enable rapid and accurate quantification of phage-bacteria dynamics within hours. Our approach allows tracking of cellular morphology and behaviors, including the precise timing of cell wall rupture and single-cell motility. We extended these concepts to real-time droplet analysis for the rapid isolation of lytic phages from large libraries, eliminating the need for tedious and resource-intensive plaque assays. As a proof of concept, we are applying this method to uropathogenic E. coli strains, showcasing its potential for high-throughput screening of phages and phage cocktails.
Speaker bio
Fabrice holds an MEng degree in micro and nanotechnology for integrated systems (Phelma, Grenoble, France) and an MRes degree in protein and membrane chemical biology (Imperial College London). His PhD at Imperial College London in the laboratory of Profs. Joshua Edel and Andrew DeMello focussed on the study of cellular membrane dynamics by developing microfluidic cell trapping platforms using dielectrophoresis and single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy.
He joined Prof. Florian Hollfelder’s lab at the University of Cambridge as a post-doc in 2011 with a view to applying microfluidic tools to important biological questions such as the evolution and discovery of enzymes and the interrogation of protein-protein interactions.
In 2017, he moved to the newly-built Living Systems Institute at the University of Exeter to establish his group and he has since been leading a team which pioneers cutting-edge microfluidics platforms to unlock novel biological insights in the fields of microbiology and enzyme engineering.
He is also Founder and Scientific Director of Drop-Tech Ltd, which commercializes droplet-on-demand platforms and provides consultancy services in the field of droplet screening.
Dr. Junning Chen
Multiscale Structure and Mechanics of Extracellular Matrices: Toward Next-Generation Orthopaedic Biomaterials and Therapeutics
Extracellular matrices (ECMs) govern the structural integrity, mechanical function, and biological regulation of load-bearing tissues such as bone, cartilage, tendon, and their interfaces. Degenerative conditions are increasingly recognised as multiscale diseases, where alterations in collagen organisation, mineralisation, and matrix architecture precede irreversible tissue failure and clinical symptoms. This talk will present recent advances in multimodal imaging and image-based modelling approaches to investigate the structure–mechanics relationships of ECMs across scales, spanning molecular organisation to tissue-level mechanics. Combining X-ray, photonic, electron microscopy, in-situ mechanical testing, and computational modelling, these approaches reveal how ECM structure governs mechanobiological behaviour during ageing, degeneration, and repair. It will further discuss how these insights are enabling the development of next-generation orthopaedic biomaterials, biomimetic manufacturing strategies, and mechanics-informed therapeutics for early diagnosis, treatment evaluation, and regenerative medicine.
Speaker bio
Dr Junning Chen specialises in multiscale tissue mechanics, mechanobiology, and biomimetic material design and fabrication. His research integrates correlative multimodal imaging, in-situ mechanical testing, image-based digital twins, and hybrid additive manufacturing. His work focuses on understanding how natural biomaterial systems develop, adapt, and fail under functional demands, and on extracting transferable mechanics-based principles from these hierarchical and graded biocomposites. These principles are translated into engineering design strategies for tuneable and programmable mechanical systems that exceed the performance limits of conventional approaches and tackle healthcare challenges, such as tissue regeneration for osteoarthritis and osteoporosis.
Dr. Koji Masuda
Single-molecule biosensing using optical WGM cavities
A micrometer-scale circular optical cavity can confine light within a tiny volume. When the wavelength of the light is tuned such that an integer number of wavelengths fits within the cavity circumference, a resonance occurs, at which point light can circulate inside the cavity many thousands of times before diminishing. When a nanoscale object is introduced into the cavity, its presence elongates the effective optical path length by a tiny amount. This minute change is amplified because the tightly confined light traverses the object repeatedly, accumulating the effect with each pass. The result is a measurable shift in the resonance wavelength. This is the underlying principle of the Whispering Gallery Mode (WGM) optical sensors.
In this talk, I will introduce how we achieve single-molecule sensitivity built upon the WGM sensor, and how we have applied this remarkable sensor to study biological phenomena, including enzyme dynamics and membrane interactions, with unprecedented capabilities: label-free, real-time detection at millisecond time resolution, all at the single-molecule level. I will also highlight exciting research we are currently undertaking and share how the future is unfolding in this field.
Speaker bio
Dr. Koji Masuda is an EPSRC Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Exeter, based at the Living Systems Institute (LSI). His research focuses on single-molecule biosensing, with expertise in experimental laser physics, nanophotonics, and optoelectronics device integration. His work sits at the intersection of photonics and life sciences, developing highly sensitive optical sensors and integrated photonics devices for biological applications.
SBME Trainees
Megha Srinivas
PhD Candidate, School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia
Deconvolving Tumor–Immune Active Dynamics through Intracellular Cytokine Profiling Using Whispering Gallery Mode Microresonators
This project aims to develop bead-based microlasers as intracellular sensors to enable real-time profiling of cytokine signalling within immune cells in the tumour microenvironment. By integrating optical microresonator technology with cellular engineering approaches, this work enables single-cell–level analysis of tumour–immune interactions. The outcomes are expected to advance understanding of immune dynamics and support the development of more effective, personalized cancer immunotherapies. Part of this work will be conducted with Dr. Frank Vollmer at the LSI at the University of Exeter part of the LSI-SBME PhD Research Exchange Program.
Speaker bio
Megha Srinivas is a fourth-year PhD candidate in the School of Biomedical Engineering at UBC, working with Dr. Govind Kaigala. She holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Science with a major in Biology from the Indian Institute of Science. Her research sits at the intersection of biomedical engineering, immunology, and cancer biology, with a focus on engineering approaches to deconvolve spatiotemporal tumour–immune cellular interactions.
She is currently completing a PhD research exchange at the Living Systems Institute (LSI), University of Exeter, working with Dr. Frank Vollmer. Her work aims to better understand how spatial organization and cell–cell communication influence immune responses in cancer, with the goal of informing the development of improved immunotherapies and patient outcomes.
Yeganeh Dorri Nokoorani
PhD Candidate, School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia
Feeder-Free Expansion of Naïve Human Pluripotent Stem Cells in a PBS Vertical-Wheel Bioreactor System
Naïve human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), which correspond to the pre-implantation epiblast in the blastocyst, are a promising cell source for regenerative medicine due to their improved single-cell adaptability and rapid growth compared with primed hPSCs. In addition, culturing primed hPSCs requires costly growth factors that are not required for naïve PSCs, making naïve hPSC culture more cost-efficient. However, current naïve hPSC culture methods primarily rely on adherent feeder-based systems, which are difficult to scale for therapeutic bioprocessing applications. This project aims to develop feeder-free suspension culture conditions for the large-scale expansion of naïve hPSCs in a PBS Vertical-Wheel bioreactor system while maintaining naïve pluripotency.
Speaker bio
Yeganeh is a PhD student in Dr. Nika Shakiba’s lab at UBC. Her main focus is on the genetic stability of human pluripotent stem cells in suspension culture systems and during their large-scale expansion. For this project, she will collaborate with Dr. Austin Smith’s lab at the University of Exeter to optimize culture conditions for the robust expansion of naïve hPSCs in a PBS Vertical-Wheel bioreactor system.