"Modelling cell behaviour"
Dr. Mario Jolicoeur (École Polytechnique de Montréal)

Our capacity to describe the behaviour of a cell population has evolved in the past decades. From “simply” referring to a limiting nutrient concentration, we now see arising modeling approaches offering a genome-wide description of a biosystem, integrating the various “omics” datasets available. But, do we always need that level of complexity to face a problem of bioprocess optimization or to elucidate the mechanisms of a metabolic disease?

Prof. Jolicoeur’s research program aims at developing models that can predict cell behaviour. Having put in place an analytical platform on cell nutrition and metabolomics, he focuses on dynamic models, following a biologically relevant description of cell mechanisms. Originally developed for plant cells, for the production of secondary metabolites of pharmaceutical interest, he has then applied his approach to various animal, microalgae and bacterial cell biosystems. The model is composed of differential equations (mass balances) describing central carbon and amino acids metabolism, cell respiration and energetics. Examples of applications will be shown.

Dr. Mario Jolicoeur is a full professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the École Polytechnique de Montréal. Recently leading a Tier II Canada Research Chair in Applied Metabolic Engineering, he has contributed to various fields, including biomedicine (immunosuppression, nervous implants, Parkinson’s, cardiovascular) and biopharmaceutics (recombinant protein and secondary metabolite production). He now also applies his modeling approach to biodiesel production.

He is the guest of Dr. Dajana Vuckovic.