CV Science

Florent Meyer PhD Biomaterials

Course and current status

Florent Meyer hold a PhD in Cell biology (2006) for his work on the ability to use polyelectrolyte multilayers as transfection platforms. This work was done in Professor Joelle Ogier's team part of Dr Jean-claude voegel lab, a leading team on polyelectrolyte multilayer films study (UMR595 Biomaterials : biophysical and biological process at interfaces). This work lead to the several proof of concept for the use of polyelectrolyte multilayer films for substrate mediated transfection of DNA, adenoviral particle or siRNA whom applications in biomaterial design are broad.

During a postdoc as researcher associate in the orthopaedic research unit at the university of Cambridge (UK) (2007-2009) he worked on the biological evaluation of biodegradable nanocomposite designed for orthopaedic prosthesis leading him to work on biomaterial/cell interaction especially on the effects of biomaterials degradation products on osteoblast physiology.

Back in France in october 2009 is appointed Lecturer in biological sciences at the Faculty of dentistry at the University of Strasbourg. As part of the UMR INSERM 977 Biomaterial and tissue engineering and following is work on designing smart materials for cell transfection is working now on designing smart nanoparticle vector for gene silencing therapy applied to cancer or chronic viral infection.

Scientific summary

Florent Meyer focus his research in the development of smart nanovector for in vivo gene silencing therapy. His strategy rely on the formulation of biodegradable nanoparticles, like calcium phosphate nanoparticles, fucntionalized by layer-by-layer technic with therapeutic siRNA and PEI. This particles aims to act as a tank for a sustain delivery of siRNA. 

New strategies developped aim to produce theranostic nanoparticles gathering in vivo imaging and cell targeting properties by the mean of use of NIR fluorescent dye and peptide grafted polymers.

Particular emphasis will be put on deciphering intracellular pathway, intra cellular degradation and biocompatibility of the nanovectors as well as in vivo efficiency and innocuity.