Beams (Bio-, Electro- And Mechanical Systems) Department - Research

The multidisciplinary nature of the BEAMS (Bio Electro and Mechanical Systems) department enables us to deal with biomedical engineering problems involving microtechnics, mechanics, electromechanics, electrical engineering, electronics and human organ modeling. The major interest of the biomedical devices group in BEAMS is to develop medical devices in collaboration with doctors. BEAMS has developed close relation with many medical departments in Europe. For example, we collaborate since 2003 with Jacques Devière and the department of gastro-enterology of Erasme Hospital on several projects in the field of flexible digestive endoscopy. The research axes of BEAMS in the biomedical field are the following :

• Surgical tools for flexible digestive endoscopy comprising triangulation system, forceps, needles, guide-wires, implants, sensors, optical imaging system…,

• Implanted devices, neurostimulation, biomedical signal monitoring and processing,

• Medical devices for oral and transdermal drug delivery comprising electro-spray and micro-needles,

• Modeling of human organs and physiology in kinesitherapy (rehabilitation) and in gastro-enterology.

Genomic and Structural Bioinformatics Group - Research

The research themes of the Genomic and Structural Bioinformatics Group consist of the development and use of bioinformatics tools with the aim of rationalizing and understanding the structure, stability, thermostability, dynamics, interactions and function of biological macromolecules. In the framework of systems biology, the group also studies the dynamical modeling of gene transcription networks.

LISA - Research

LISA-Image is involved in research and development in two main topics of applied sciences: image analysis and computer graphics. In the field of image analysis and pattern recognition, LISA-Image develops new methods for object segmentation in digital images, based on classification and decision theory, as well as for tracking mobile objects in image sequences. In the biomedical fields, algorithms and applications are developed in collaboration with biologists and clinicians and cover 2D and 3D problems such as :

• in vitro cell tracking with characterization of migration and proliferation processes,

• quantitative characterization of immunohistochemical staining,

• quantitative characterization of pulmonary emphysema and articulation cartilage.

In close collaboration with the Pathology Department of the Erasme Hospital, a new multidisciplinary and inter-faculty unit, DIAPATH (Digital image analysis in pathology), was recently developed to offer an integrated solution for the identification, characterization and validation of protein tissue-based biomarkers. This unit is included into the new Centre for Microscopy and Molecular Imaging.

Image synthesis and virtual reality research activities are based on 3D acquisition, 3D modeling and real time rendering. They are oriented towards medical and real time applications such as :

• virtual fracture reduction,

• computer-assisted surgery,

• visibility computation in complex environments,

• gestural interface, etc.

Molecular and Bimolecular engineering - Research

Research in the laboratory focuses on the understanding and characterization of interactions between molecular units using various physico-chemical methods (micro-calorimetry; NMR spectroscopy and circular dichroïsm). We are interested in the stability and dynamics of biomolecules and in the association complexes that they form with other (bio)molecules. The understanding of the energetics that guide the selective association of proteins and DNA with other (bio)molecules including water, ligands or hormones is of fundamental importance in bio-nanotechnology, for the development of therapeutic agents and diagnostic tools. We are also involved in the development of synthetic receptors or, in general, of synthetic building blocks that can selectively interact in water with a given substrate. The analytical detection and monitoring in aqueous environments of compounds present at extremely low concentrations is a subject of great current interest in medical diagnostics.

Service d'Automatique et d'Analyse des Systèmes - Research

Our work aims at studying and developing control laws for providing force feedback in robotic surgery. In this framework, the surgeon manipulates a master robot and a slave robot reproduces the movement of the master within the patient’s body. Presently, the only information on the operating environment is provided through cameras inserted in the patient’s body. Yet certain operations, like palpation of cancerous nodules or needle insertion in specific tissues, only rely on the sense of touch (or the haptic perception) of the surgeon. Therefore, in order to be able to perform such operations by minimally invasive surgery or endoscopy, it is necessary to develop specific master-slave devices equipped with appropriate control laws. The challenges of these control applications are the large variability in the properties of the environment made of soft tissues as well as in the way the surgeons holds the operating devices. Besides, frictions forces are of the same order of magnitude as the forces to be fed back to the operator, which requires appropriate friction compensation schemes.

Service de Métrologie Nucléaire - Research

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