Marie-Claire Weisgerber

Short Bio

My personal interest is in developing my interdisciplinary skills and applying my abilities as a mechanical engineer in a wide range of areas. I am fascinated by combining technical expertise with other disciplines and creating innovative solutions that go beyond my original area of expertise.
The cooperative doctorate at Trier University of Applied Sciences enables interdisciplinary work, which I find particularly exciting.
My goal is to improve patient care and contribute to the well-being of society by using 3D sensor systems to record the electrophysiological signals of intestinal organoids.

Research

A newly developed 3D sensor system creates highly complex biological-technological interfaces that make it possible to track and analyze the electrophysiological signals of complex spherical organoids.

"Collaboration with other scientists, engineers and specialists from different disciplines promotes the exchange of ideas and enables the creation of holistic solutions."

Abstract

As part of the interdisciplinary research project Complex three-dimensional biomimetic sensor and organoid networks for the collection of functional data of the intestinal barrier (OriDarmi), funded by the Carl Zeiss Foundation, methods are being developed to investigate the physiological processes in intestinal wall-like cell assemblies in order to better understand the influence of drugs, food components, microorganisms or disease-causing substances on the intestine.

The intestinal microbiota and the various cell types within the intestinal tract, including muscle, immune, nerve and glial cells, undergo complex interactions with microorganisms, food components, drug substances and toxins. These interactions can cause a variety of diseases that not only affect the gut itself, such as chronic inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn's disease, but can also affect the whole organism, including neurodegenerative diseases. However, the comprehensive analysis of these factors influencing intestinal barrier function in living subjects is severely limited.

The PhD therefore aims to develop methods to study the physiological processes in three-dimensional cell assemblies that serve as in vitro models of the intestinal wall. To this end, novel microelectrode sensor systems are being developed that are capable of wrapping around or being enclosed by the cells, thus enabling direct interaction with the cells. The integration of microcapillaries into these electrode systems enables the targeted application of test substances to the artificial intestinal mucosa and the monitoring of the quality of the intestinal barrier. To optimize the design of the electrode network, test stands are being developed that can precisely determine the mechanical properties of the intestinal organoids without influencing the physiology during handling, for example their maximum load-bearing capacity. The investigation of the biomechanical interaction between tissue and electrode as well as the causes of electromechanical-induced artifacts are being researched in order to maximize the quality of the derived signals from intestinal organoids with peristalsis. Furthermore, test stations for electrode characterization regarding impedance spectroscopy, electroplating, electric field distribution and their microphonics are developed. The analysis of the construction material polyimide (PI 2610, PI 2611) focuses on biocompatibility and mechanical properties in order to ensure the reliability and functionality of the networks in biological processes. Based on these findings, the models, electrode networks and intestinal organoids are evaluated using the finite element method (FEM) in order to optimize their electrical, mechanical and biological interaction. Once developed, the electrode network will be used in an in-vitro test environment to record three-dimensional electrophysiological signals. These findings may contribute to the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.