Posts by Adrien Berthault published at ITN SNAL - Marie Curie Initial Training Network

Bridging molecular simulation models and elastic theories for amphiphilic membranes

Adrien Berthault — Tue, 03 Jul 2018 19:53:24 +0000

J. Chem. Phys., 149, 014902 (2018) Adrien Berthault, Marco Werner, Vladimir A. Baulin The Single Chain Mean Field theory is used to link coarse-grained models of amphiphilic molecules with analytical models for membrane elasticity, where phenomenological parameters are deduced from explicit molecular models and force fields. We estimate the elastic constants based on the free energy of the amphiphilic bilayer in planar and cylindrical geometries on the example of four amphiphilic molecules that differ in length and stiffness. We study how these variations affect the equilibrium bilayer structure, the equilibrium free energy, and the elastic constants. Bending rigidities are obtained

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Training in Dresden

Adrien Berthault — Wed, 28 Dec 2016 16:27:03 +0000

An idea not yet presented is as ineffective as no idea. As almost all the ESRs were reaching the mid term of their Phd projects, they were required to present the ideas that they have learnt and results they have obtained after finishing the half time of their project. All ESRs presented briefly the research, which they had conducted before and after the start of SNAL, to Regional Officers from the Europeans Commission which is funding SNAL. Both Regional officers quite enthusiastically expressed their fascination by efficiency of ESRs and the management of the project, also suggesting improvements which could be made

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Training in Frankfurt

Adrien Berthault — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 17:19:37 +0000

Full of new ideas after the Strasbourg event, most of the ESRs moved towards the Goethe University in Frankfurt to learn some detailed ideas from the in vitro, in vivo and ex-vivo research. This workshop aimed to give an overview of clinical research, which directly helps in the improvement of human health and welfare. Not only for sharing their expertise with us but also for preparing such a nice event, we would like to address special thanks to Dr. Shahram Ghanaati (FORM) and the ESRs Anna Barbara Orlowska and Andre Dias. If one already met researchers working with animal experiments, the situation

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Training course in Strasbourg

Adrien Berthault — Fri, 25 Dec 2015 04:16:30 +0000

As the year 2015 was coming to its end, SNAL ESRs gathered again in Strasbourg to get their last dose of new and contemporary ideas in the field of Lipid Membrane Research. The aim of this training course was to expose ESRs working from the different aspects of same research field, namely synthesis, theory and analysis and in vitro applications to the Imaging techniques of the membrane from the experts of the MCube team (ICS). We would like to thank the organizers Dr. Carlos Marques, Dr. Fabrice Thalmann, Dr. Marc Schmutz and the PhD students from Strasbourg partners mentioned below,

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Workshop in Salou

Adrien Berthault — Thu, 24 Dec 2015 17:25:12 +0000

The 4th workshop on biomaterials and their interactions with biological and model membranes was held in Salou (October 19th — 21th). Following up to the previous three workshops in 2011, 2013 and 2014, this meeting mainly focused on the interactions of synthetic polymers, nanoparticles, surfactants, proteins, small biomolecules with biological and model phospholipid membranes. Participants of this workshops were not only SNAL-ITN members, but also external scientists from all over the world. During this three-day workshop, experts and young researchers from different backgrounds (physics, biochemistry, biophysics, polymer chemistry, medicine and industry) discussed together about different topics, including phospholipid bilayer theory

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Summer School in Roccalumera

Adrien Berthault — Fri, 20 Nov 2015 11:54:56 +0000

With the sound of waves breaking on the sand, a new generation of scientists was learning, questioning, and interacting with their peers. Such a social experience is always fruitful because it helps people to understand each other and create unique moments which will be remembered. The summer school in Roccalumera (Sicily, Italy) aimed to bring together scientists from different backgrounds interested in similar topics such as biomaterials, lipids and membranes, nanoparticles, polymers, and, most importantly, how all these come together. Such an event, lasting for ten days, requires time and careful planning to be organised in the best way. For

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Meeting in Manchester 8th-11th April 2015

Adrien Berthault — Fri, 04 Sep 2015 16:33:06 +0000

8th-11th April 2015 – School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester, UK It has now been six months since ESRs started their PhD, giving them a more accurate overview of their topic, its limits and its possible extensions. This meeting which was attended by most of the ITN SNAL Network and was organized by Jian R. Lu (Manchester University, UK) with help of Daniela Ciumac, ESR in Manchester (UK), proceeded through successive presentations related to group´s field of research. The goal of these courses was “to teach basic science and discuss recent advances in 2D materials research exploring their

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Informal ESR meeting of ITN SNAL network 6/7 Novembre 2014

Adrien Berthault — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 22:55:14 +0000

6-7 November 2014 – Roda de Barà, Tarragona, Spain The second article of the Press Release section will be dedicated to the two days spent in Tarragona and organized by the MSCA Early Stage Researchers (ESRs). This meeting aimed to point out the role of ESRs within the ITN-SNAL Network, its possibilities and improve the relationships between the participants. Monika Kluzek, ESR in experimental biophysics at the Institut Charles Sadron in Strasbourg (France), explains: “this satellite meeting has pinpointed the importance of ESRs as the new generation of scholars who are eager to communicate about science and extensively collaborate with peers.

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SCMF – Single Chain Mean Field Theory

Adrien Berthault — Sun, 26 Oct 2014 22:08:00 +0000

Basics The Single Chain Mean Field (SCMF) theory was originally proposed by Ben-Shaul, Szleifer and Gelbart to describe micellization of block copolymers. This method has further been developed to describe the structure of phospholipid membranes at the molecular level. SCMF is one of the theoretical tools exploited in the Molecular Simulation group in Tarragona. The SCMF theory describes a single molecule surrounded by the mean fields. It takes explicitly into account the structure of an individual molecule at a coarse-grained level similar to coarse-grained MC or MD simulations. However, as distinct from simulations, the interactions of the molecule with the environment are described

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Summary of the Meeting in Cambridge 1 October 2014

Adrien Berthault — Sun, 12 Oct 2014 06:45:57 +0000

1-2 October 2014 – Cambridge, Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Cambridge. After months of discussions and proposals conducted by supervisors from each host institution and the program director, Dr. Vladimir Baulin, the management meeting in Cambridge sets the beginning of a great adventure! In an atmosphere both earnest and casual, many topics have been discussed. Some, such as schedules for jointed events, everyone’s expectation, objectives of Early Stage Researchers (ESRs), potential collaborations, and network outreach activities. Each ESR, through 10-minutes presentation, has gotten the opportunity to (1) demonstrate available infrastructure of the host institution (2) present available

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