UVIC UCC

Research

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Research

[vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]The overall objective of our research is to provide a quantitative view of processes of biomedical interest, by combining imaging tools with single-molecule sensitivity and dynamic imaging capability, advanced image analysis algorithms, and cell biology.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]
1Exploring Cell Biology with Single-Molecule Visualization
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Our research concentrates on the study of molecular mechanisms in cellular biophysics, with a special focus on the spatiotemporal organization and dynamics of cell membrane components in health and disease.

We use single-molecule-based super-resolution light microscopy methods, such as photo-activated localization microscopy (PALM) and direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (dSTORM) to obtain images with molecular-scale resolution. Complementary studies using single-particle tracking (SPT) allow us to detail molecular movement at high temporal resolution.

Currently, we are investigating the role of membrane proteins in:

  • tight junctions, cell-cell interactions, and tissue permeability of the gastrointestinal tract (grant MICIN PID2021-125386NB-I00);
  • cell migration, in relation to wound healing (grant MINECO BFU2017-85693-R);
  • membrane-level interactions mediated by glycosylation and glycans.
Collaborations
  • Raquel Martin, Universitat de Barcelona
  • Masayoshi Fukasawa, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan
  • Maria Garcia-Parajo, ICFO, Castelldefels (Barcelona)
  • Tomoya Isaji, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Japan

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2Data Science for BioImaging
[vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]We work at the development of algorithms and methods to extract knowledge and insights from images and data obtained through image-based techniques.

Currently, we use tools from both classical statistics and deep learning for the:

  • quantification of protein copy number in super-resolution imaging;
  • classification and segmentation of biomedical images;
  • analysis of single particle trajectories undergoing anomalous diffusion.

We are deeply involved in the organization of the AnDi challenge.

Collaborations
  • Giovanni Volpe, Gothenburg University, Sweden
  • Oriol Gallego, Universitat Pompeu Fabra
  • Maciej Lewenstein, ICFO, Castelldefels (Barcelona)
  • Francesca Cella Zanacchi, Università di Pisa, Italy
Selected publications
  • Geometric deep learning reveals the spatiotemporal features of microscopic motion (2023) [link]
  • Objective comparison of methods to decode anomalous diffusion (2021) [link]
  • Extreme Learning Machine for the Characterization of Anomalous Diffusion from Single Trajectories (2021) [link]
  • A machine learning method for single trajectory characterization (2020) [link][arXiv:1903.02850]
  • Bayesian analysis of data from segmented super-resolution images for quantifying protein clustering (2020) [link][arXiv:1909.13133]

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