Biomimicry

The word “biomimicry” comes from ancient Greek: bios (bios), meaning “life,” and mimesis, meaning “imitation.”

This term refers to the study of extracellular and intracellular biological phenomena using in vitro experimental techniques designed to reproduce—that is, to “mimic”—the characteristics of these phenomena, both qualitatively and quantitatively.

The biomimetic method approaches biological complexity “by subtraction”: by assembling new minimal systems (with a small number of parameters) under highly controlled conditions using abottom-up approach; by identifying the essential components; and by controlling the system’s parameters.

This course does not aim to provide an exhaustive or definitive overview of biomimicry, but rather to give students a broad perspective on this rapidly evolving field of research. This educational objective will be achieved through the critical reading of research articles and presentations on some of the cutting-edge biomimetic techniques by the researchers who use them.

• To provide students with a broad overview of the biomimetic techniques and research topics most commonly used in the study of extracellular and intracellular processes (see the syllabus).
• A study of the seminal articles on modern biomimetic approaches.
• Develop skills in reading and analyzing scientific articles in the field of biophysics, particularly biomimetics. Encourage best practices in the study of the scientific literature.

• Biological Physics

Recommended prerequisites:

• Fluid Mechanics/Hydrodynamics
• Statistical Physics
• Surfaces, Interfaces, Colloids

Microscopy and Spectroscopy

This course focuses on the study of scientific literature and the presentation, in the form of seminars, of certain aspects of biomimetic research. For this reason, its curriculum may vary from year to year. Some of the topics that have been covered in the past include:

• Dynamics, assembly, and self-organization of microtubules and motors in vitro.
• Artificial Listeria : Dynamics of Actin-Based Motility.
• Formation of membrane nanotube networks through the action of motor proteins on an underlying microtubule network.
• Membrane nanotubes and protein-membrane interactions.
• Cytoskeletal Mechanics / Cell Motility: Cilia and Flagella.
• Developmental Biology and Cell Mechanics.
• Flow of biomimetic fabrics.