Angiogenesis, i.e. the formation of blood vessels from pre-existing ones, is a key process to ensure the body’s blood supply. Fully controlling this phenomenon is essential for the (re)creation of new tissues and organs, such as pursued in the field of Regenerative Medicine. Despite numerous attempts, spatially directing angiogenesis in three-dimensional environments remains a major challenge. Here, we propose to spatially control the location of newly formed blood vessels via patterns of light, by leveraging on cell-cell signalling, microfabrication, and optogenetics. As a proof of concept, the technology will be tested on in vitro tissue models of angiogenesis.

Sleep loss is detrimental for the brain and causes memory impairments. It is unclear, however, whether sleep deprivation affects information storage or the retrievability of stored memories. Using state-of-the-art approaches to modulate brain activity and behavioural studies, we will examine whether memories ‘thought-to-be-lost’ can be retrieved from the sleep-deprived brain.