Marc Van Der Hofstadt, PhD

Research

My research interests fall within the field of Nanobiotechnology; developing new tools that will allow us to answer biological questions that cannot be resolved by orthodox methodologies. In the former years, I have been studying the bioelectrical properties of single cells, where we were capable of demonstrating the difference in internal hydration properties of bacterial endospores and their vegetative state, which gives the former their surprising ability to withstand harsh environmental conditions.

More recently, I have been fascinated by the microenvironments: the immediate small-scale environment surrounding a cell that critically governs cellular behaviour. Its dynamic and complex composition, which includes a range of biochemical and biophysical cues, allows it to nicelly orchestrates complex process such as embryogenesis and homeostasis (e.g. wound healing). Following nature’s bottom-up approach in the creation of the microenvironment, I am using DNA nanotechnology to create reactive microenvironments. In particular, I am relying on DNA/enzyme-based molecular programs, which thanks to their out-of-equilibrium dynamics I could control the composition of their synthetic microenvironment, and hence of the underlying cells, across time and space. These reactive microenvironments will help to shorten the gap between in vitro and in vivo studies, in addition of offering new tools for spatiotemporal tissue engineering.

I am also interested in establishing new chemical reaction networks, by means of controllable molecular system, for the development of new spatiotemporal patterns, and the development of new diagnostic tools for miRNA detection from liquid biopsies.

Publications

2025

Advancing in ovo egg sexing through molecular sex identification of chick embryos using LAMP and RPA assays
M. Van Der Hofstadt, N. l’Helgoualch, J. Houot-Cernettig, T. Galindo, T. Manso, P.G.A. Martins, J. Huguenin, J. Espeut, F. Molina & T.N.N. Van , Scientific Reports

2024

Assessment of salivary microRNA by RT-qPCR: Facing challenges in data interpretation for clinical diagnosis
M. Van Der Hofstadt, A. Cardinal, M. Lepeltier, J. Boulestreau, A. Ouedraogo, M. Kahli, P. Champigneux, L. Molina, F. Molina, T.N.N. Van, PLOS one

2022

Long-Lasting and Responsive DNA/Enzyme-Based Programs in Serum-Supplemented Extracellular Media
J.C. Galas, A. Estevez-Torres, M. Van Der Hofstadt, ACS Synthetic Biology (repository)

2021

Programming Spatio-Temporal Patterns with DNA-Based Circuits
M. Van Der Hofstadt, G. Gines, J.C. Galas, A. Estevez-Torres, in K. Evgeny (Ed.), DNA- and RNA-Based Computing Systems, Wiley-VCH.

2020

Spatiotemporal Patterning of Living Cells with Extracellular DNA Programs
M. Van Der Hofstadt, J.C. Galas, A. Estevez-Torres, ACS Nano (repository)

2019

rEXPAR: An Isothermal Amplification Scheme That Is Robust to Autocatalytic Parasites
G. Urtel, M. Van Der Hofstadt, J.C. Galas, A. Estevez-Torres, Biochemistry

2017

Regulation of ribonucleotide synthesis by the Pseudomonas aeruginosa two-component system AlgR in response to oxidative stress
A. Crespo, L. Pedraz, M. Van Der Hofstadt, G. Gomila, E. Torrents, Scientific Reports

2016

Internal hydration properties of single bacterial endospores probed by environmental Electrostatic Force Microscopy
M. Van Der Hofstadt, R. Fabregas, R. Millan-Solsona, A. Juarez, L. Fumagalli, G. Gomila, ACS Nano

Nanoscale dielectric microscopy of non-planar samples by lift-mode electrostatic force microscopy
M. Van Der Hofstadt, R. Fabregas, M.C. Biagi, L. Fumagalli, G. Gomila, Nanotechnology

Electric Permittivity of Single Bacterial Cells at Gigahertz Frequencies by Scanning Microwave Microscopy
M. C. Biagi, R. Fabregas, G. Gramse, M. Van Der Hofstadt, A. Juárez, F. Kienberger, L. Fumagalli, and G. Gomila, ACS Nano

2015

Nanoscale imaging of the growth and division of bacterial cells on planar substrates with the atomic force microscope
M. Van Der Hofstadt, M. Hüttener, a. Juárez, G. Gomila, Ultramicroscopy

Curriculum Vitae

I have been always interested in understanding the why biological processes occur, and how nanotechnology tools are filling the missing gaps.

You can find my CV here .

Contact

Marc Van Der Hofstadt Serrano

Laboratoire Sys2Diag, CNRS
Parc Euromédecine Cap Delta, 1682 rue de la Valsière, 34184 Montpellier, France
Office 205

marc.van-der-hofstadt@sys2diag.cnrs.fr

Gallery

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