Internship M2 : Development of Recombinant Collagen Hydrogels for 3D Organoid Culture

Period: 6 months from January/February to June/July 2027
Internship supervisors: Dr Penthip Muangkaew and Dr Cécile Echalier
Contact:
Research team: IBMM Peptides www.ibmmpeptide.com
Internship location: IBMM, Pole Chimie Balard, 1919 Route de Mende, Montpellier, France.

Summary

3D organoids and tumoroids derived from patient cells have emerged as a powerful alternative to 2D cultures and animal testing. Because cell-matrix interactions are crucial for survival, proliferation, and migration, the choice of biomaterial heavily dictates the functionality of these in vitro models.

However, oncology research is currently bottlenecked by a lack of well-defined, animal-free biomaterials whose mechanical and chemical properties can be modulated with high reproducibility.

To overcome this challenge, our multidisciplinary consortium of chemists, biologists, and clinicians proposes to design highly defined culture matrices using recombinant collagen. By utilizing a non-animal, bio-synthetic source, we bypass the batch-to-batch variability of traditional materials.

The goal is to develop tailored hydrogels to support the growth of colorectal epithelial organoids (from adult cells) and bronchial epithelial organoids (from iPSCs) to study tumor initiation mechanisms under inflammatory conditions.

We will synthesize silylated collagen hydrogels by functionalizing collagen with alkoxysilane groups and covalently cross-linking them through a mild sol–gel process carried out under physiological conditions and temperature. This non-toxic, bioorthogonal, and chemoselective reaction enables the creation of customizable mechanical properties and biochemical environments.

The Consortium

This project bridges chemistry and advanced biology across three specialized teams:

• Peptides Team (IBMM, Montpellier): Experts in bio-inspired precursors and sol-gel chemistry to build biomimetic extracellular matrices.
• Audrey Ferrand’s Team (IRSD, Toulouse): Specialists in colorectal cancer initiation and advanced “colon-on-a-chip” models.
• Pr. John De Vos’s Team (IRMB, Montpellier): Developers of fully functional, patient-derived bronchial epithelium models from iPSCs.

Key Responsibilities

• Synthesis & Analysis: Silylation of recombinant collagen and quantification via NMR.
• Formulation: Preparing 3D hydrogels using sol-gel processing, tuning stiffness by varying concentration and silylation rates.
• Testing: Evaluating viscoelastic properties using rheology and AFM.

Validated hydrogels will be sent to partners for biological evaluation.

Required Skills & Soft Skills

1. Chemistry & Analysis: Organic/polymer synthesis and NMR. Experience in rheology or AFM is a strong plus.
2. Autonomy & Organization: Self-driven with good project management skills.
3. Professionalism: High scientific rigor and commitment to work.
4. Mindset: Scientific curiosity, critical thinking, and problem-solving.
5. Communication: Strong interpersonal skills to report to supervisors and collaborate with the team.