https://www.spintec.fr/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Plaquette_Spintec_2026.pdf
Context
A novel approach to destroy cancer cells is under investigation in the frame of a collaboration between a biology laboratory (BIOMICS) and a magnetism laboratory (SPINTEC), both within the IRIG Institute. It makes use of magnetic particles dispersed among cancer cells. The particles are set into low frequency vibration (1-20Hz) by an applied rotating magnetic field. These vibrations induce a mechanical stress on the cells which results in various physiological reactions. The intensity of the stress can be tuned by the amplitude and frequency of the applied field and adjusted so as to trigger the cancer cells death (apoptosis). The effect has already been qualitatively demonstrated in vitro on a variety of cancer cells (glioma, pancreatic, renal) cultured in 2D in Petri dishes. Experiments were also conducted in 3D spheroids of pancreatic cancer cells (tumoroids) and for comparison on 3D spheroids of pancreatic healthy cells (organoids). The advantage of these 3D assemblies of cells is that they much better mimic the texture and organization of real biological tissues than cells cultured at 2D in a liquid. This greatly eases the transition towards in-vivo studies and minimizes the reliance on animal models. The first observations have revealed that pancreatic cancer cells have a higher affinity for the magnetic particles and are more sensitive to the mechanical stress than the pancreatic healthy cells. This actually enables to destroy the cancer cells without affecting healthy cells. These very encouraging results need to be confirmed and statistically quantified. One of the key goal of the internship will be to determine whether or not we can demonstrate a specificity between cancer cells and healthy cells when mixed in a 3D scaffold to confirm the biomedical promise of this approach.
Work program & Skills acquired during internship
This work is highly interdisciplinary. The intern is expected to have a transverse background in cell biology and physics in order to perform biology experiments at BIOMICS and use magnetic materials from SPINTEC, the two labs being both located within the CEA campus. The intern will use 3D cell culture systems, expose those spheroids to magnetic fields and subsequently characterize their biological responses. Biological characterization will be performed using quantitative microscopy acquisition and a methodological pipeline will have to be developed. SPINTEC will provide the magnetic particles and the sources of magnetic field required to stimulate the cells. If time allows, the intern will interact with SPINTEC for evaluation of the mechanical forces and torques exerted on the cells.
- Requested background: Master 2
- Duration: 4-6 months
- Start period: Feb/ March 2026
- Possibility of PhD thesis : YES