Abstract: Electrical signaling drives function throughout the human body. In the brain, electrical circuits shape cognition, encode memories, and enable us to perceive and respond to our environment. Monitoring these signals is essential not only for understanding the fundamental biological processes underlying function, but also for assessing how therapeutics can restore function in disease. However, existing tools to probe bioelectrical activity remain limited, constraining their applications and impact. My research applies principles of micro- and nanoengineering to develop more effective tools for probing electrical signals in biological tissues and accelerate progress in electrophysiology.
In this talk, I will explore how biological systems generate electrical activity, how we measure it, where current methods fall short, and how micro- and nanotechnologies can overcome these limitations. In particular, I will present three biosensors, each addressing a fundamental challenge in electrophysiology. The first is a multielectrode array for high-fidelity mapping of electrical activity in biological tissues. The second is a nanotransducer that converts small voltage fluctuations into light, enabling wireless probing of bioelectrical activity with subcellular resolution. The third is a multimodal biosensor that integrates electrophysiology with gene expression profiling to reveal the molecular drivers of abnormal electrical activity in disease.
Together, these technologies aim to advance our understanding of disease biology and enable the development of more effective, targeted treatments, ultimately improving patient care.
Bio: Benoit combines electrophysiology and single-cell RNA sequencing to investigate how the nervous system influences cell state plasticity and function within in vitro tumor models. Originally from a small village in the French Alps, Benoit pursued his engineering studies at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland. He earned a bachelor’s degree in microengineering and a master’s in micro and nano-systems, with a minor in biomedical technologies. He completed his master’s thesis at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. During his PhD in Prof. Philippe Renaud’s lab at EPFL, Benoit developed innovative biosensors to monitor cell electrical activity and accelerate progress in electrophysiology. In 2020, he joined the Nano Cybernetic Biotrek research group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a Swiss National Science Foundation postdoctoral fellow. There, he invented a novel type of photonic device for probing bioelectrical potentials wirelessly and explored creative approaches based on freestanding microdevices to translate bioelectronics to 3D cellular models. In the Shalek lab, Benoit is dedicated to applying his engineering and electrophysiology expertise while acquiring new biological knowledge and methods to investigate interactions between cancer and the nervous system. His goal is to develop his long-term scientific vision further and ensure its positive impact on society.