Jean-Louis Viovy

Our interdisciplinary group is dedicated to the application of physics and chemistry to biology and medicine. It has three main lines of research.

The first is the development of bioanalytical tools and methods. The group was a pioneer in microfluidics and lab on chips, developing in the area innovative technologies: magnetic and convective self-assembly, flow control, non-conventional microfabrication strategies and surface treatments, high throughput droplet microfluidics. Using these technologies, the group is developing several diagnosis-oriented projects in collaboration with clinicians,

e.g.:
- Development of new media and strategies for mutation analysis (now in use in routine in several hospitals in France).
- Capture and molecular typing of tumour cells from patients, for the evaluation of metastatic relapse and treatment orientation.

The group is coordinator of the European Project CaMiNEMS on this topic, and collaborating with several hospitals and research groups in France and abroad. It is also involved in cooperative programs with clinicans (INCA DHOS)

- Early diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases (prion diseases, Alzheimer) by microfluidic methods, within the European consortium NADINE

- Original systems for the oriented culture of neurones, and the study of neurons degenerescence (ANR project NEUROSCREEN, "Plan Alzeimer" project "Neurochip")

- Portable point of care microfluidic device for fast genetic analysis of pathogens, and the diagnosis of nosocomial infections (ANR project - REDLOC)