Team

On going PhD students and Post-doc (January 2025)

Djibril Montaville (PhD 2025-2028). Cell cortex in the transition to multicellularity (co-supervision Julien Heuvingh and Nicolas Borghi). Funding EDPIF 564.

Lisa Shafroth (PhD 2025-2028). Self-assembly of irregular colloidal particles (co-supervision Julien Heuvingh and Martin Lenz). Funding: Bettencourt Schuller Fundation. EDPIF 564.

Anuran Kar Gupta (PhD 2025-2028). Passive objects in an active bath (co-supervision Anke Lindner). Funding: IPGG. EDPIF 564.

Baptiste Vauléon (PhD 2024-2027). Role of cell surface mechanics in promoting cancer invasiveness through mesenchymal-to-amoeboid transition. (Co-supervision Matthieu Piel and Julien Heuvingh) Funding: AMX. EDPIF 564.

Eloïse Epaud (PhD 2024-2027). Deciphering the role of the actin cortex and cortical tension in cell shape regulation. Co-supervision Matthieu Piel and Julien Heuvingh). Funding: ANR COMEPOL ED PIF 564.

Dinesh Kumar (PostDoc 2023-). Frustrated self assembly of microprinted colloids. Funding ANR FruSA. Collaboration Martin Lenz (LPTMS & PMMH).



 

Alumni

Anumita Jawahar (PhD 2021-2025). Mechanical properties of cell cortex in polarized cells.\
Funding: IPV program of Sorbonne Université ED PIF 564. Co-supervision M. Piel and J. Heuvingh.

Zhibo Li (PhD 2019-2023) Biofluid dynamics in microfluidic flows. Funding from CSC (Chinese council for science). ED PIF 564. Co-supervision with Anke Lindner, PMMH.

Joseph Vermeil (PhD 2020-2024). Biophysics of the cell cortex. Funding:AMX. ED PIF 564. Co-supervision with Julien Heuvingh, (PMMH) and Matthieu Piel, (Institut Curie – IPGG).

Andrea de la Sen (PhD 2021-2024). Chiral microparticle transport. Funding La Caixa & ED PIF 564. Collaboration with Anke Lindner (PMMH).

Lucas Prévost (PhD 2018-2021) Micro-helixes in viscous flows: from fluid-structure interactions to suspension dynamics. Funding: ERC PaDyFlow. ED PIF 564. Co-supervision with Anke Lindner, PMMH. Current status: research Engineer at CEA, France.

Alexandra Zak (Postdoc 2020-2021). Dynamical and mechanical characterization of the cell cortex during migration and mitosis. Funding: Qlife collaboration with Matthieu Piel Institut Curie – IPGG.

Reda Belbahri (PhD 2016-2020) Impact of actin regulatory proteins in the mechanics of yeast endocytosis. Rôle des protéines réticulantes de l’actine dans la mécanique de l’endocytose chez la levure. Funding ERC Alphée Michelot/own ressources at PMMH. ED – 62 AMU. Co-supervision with Alphée Michelot, IBDM, Marseille. Current status: Project manager at Owkin, Paris, France

Valentin Laplaud (PhD 2016-2019) Mechanics and Dynamics of cellular actin cortex. Funding ITMO Cancer, ED 474 FDV , Univ. Paris Descartes. Co-supervision with Matthieu Piel, Institut Curie-IPGG. Current status: Postdoctoral fellow in LadHyX, Palaiseau, France. Team of Arezki Boudaoud.

Nandan Pandit, ( Visiting PhD student Jan-Jul 2019) Investing the molecular origins of Arp2/3 complex stiffness. PhD student in Enrique De La Cruz’s lab at Yale University, USA (Chateaubriand fellowship).

Cesar Valencia-Gallardo (2017-2019) Coupling between mechanics of actin cytoskeleton networks and regulatory protein activity. Funding ANR MuScActin. Current status: CTO & fo-founder of a startup Faircraft.

Francesca Tesser (2017-2019) Flow of micro-printed helices with or without an head. Funding ERC PaDyFlow. Current status: Research and Development Engineer, company CorWave, Paris

Jean Cappello (PhD 2016-2019) Transport dynamics of flexible fibers in viscous flows. Funding ERC PaDyFlow. ED PIF 564. Co-supervision avec Anke Lindner, PMMH. Current status: Postdoctoral fellow in Université libre de Bruxelles, équipe de Benoit Scheid.

Marine Daïeff (PhD 2015-2018) Deformation and transport of micro-helices in viscous flows. Funding ED PIF 564, Univ. Paris Diderot. Co-supervision avec Anke Lindner, PMMH. Current status: Research engineer in microfluidics, Elveflow, Paris

Yanan Liu (PhD 2014-2018) Single and collective fiber dynamics in microflows. Funding from CSC (Chinese council for science). Co-supervision with Anke Lindner, PMMH. Current status: Assistant Professor, Northwest University, Xi’an, China.

Jonathan Pham, ( Visiting PhD student Sep 2013 – Mars 2014) Deformation of micro-helices under flow. PhD student in Alfred Crosby’s lab at Department of Polymer Science and Enigneering, UMass, Amherst, USA (Chateaubriand fellowship). Current status: Assistant Professor at University of Kentucky.

Jessica Planade (PhD 2013-2016) Role of actin partners in the mechanics of dense branched acti nnetworks in yeast. Funding ED 518, University Paris Diderot. Co-supervision with Julien Heuvingh.

Pierre Bauër (PhD 2012-2015) Mechanical measurements and force generation of branched actin networks with micromagnetic cylinders. Funding INSIS-CNRS. ED 389, University Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris. Co-supervision with avec Julien Heuvingh. Current status: Co-founder & CEO of a start-up (Plantobodies).

Joseph Tavacoli (PostDoc 2011-2013) Fabrication of superparamagnetic micro-cylinders. Funding ANR ACTIMAG and Fondation P.-G. de Gennes. Current status: PostDoc at Soft Condensed Matter Group, LMU, Munchen, Germany.

Jason Wexler, (Visiting PhD student Jan 2011 – Avr 2011) Bending of elastic fibers in confined micro-channel. PhD student in Howard Stone’s lab at Princeton University, USA.

Thomas Pujol (PhD 2009-2012) Mechanical study of branched actin networks. Funding ED 518, University Paris Diderot, Paris. Co-supervision with avec J. Heuvingh. Current status: research Engineer in charge of a facility at IBENS, Paris, France.

Nawal Quennouz, (PhD 2009-2012) Transport and deformation of an elastic filament in viscous cellular flow. Funding ED 389, University Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris. Current status : R\&D Manager in a startup, DNA Script.

Elie Wandersman (PostDoc 2007-2008) Deformation of an elastic fiber in an array of stagnation poitns. Funding ATER UPMC. Current status: Assistant Professor, laboratoire Jean Perrin, Sorbonne Université, Paris.

Avin Babataheri, (PhD 2005-2009) Artificial cilia: physical model of ciliated propulsion. Funding Ministère, University Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris. Current Status: reserach Enigneer in LadHyx, Palaiseau.