unfoldscience

I published earlier some infographics I created for my Ph.D thesis, for example the comparison between biological and technological objects at the micro and nano scale. Below are a few other information graphics used to explain the various uses of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) for biology and health.

Conformational switch

Temperature-induced conformational switch of PNIPAM

PNIPAM is a thermosensitive polymer that undergoes a reversible coil-to-globule conformational transition around its lower critical solution temperature (LCST), around 32°C. It switches from a hydrophilic, swollen state to a hydrophobic, collapsed state.

• Download the resizable, editable SVG source file (SVG, 65 KB)

PNIPAM-based immunoassay

Immunoassay based on the thermal precipitation of PNIPAM

The peculiar properties of PNIPAM make it possible to use this polymer as a support for immunoassays based on thermal precipitation.

• Download the resizable, editable SVG source file (SVG, 151 KB)

Cell culture

Cell culture on PNIPAM-grafted surfaces

PNIPAM-grafted surfaces can be used as a soft support for cell cultures. Cells grow on hydrophobic PNIPAM and are softly released by lowering the temperature and making the PNIPAM hydrophilic.

• Download the resizable, editable SVG source file (SVG, 249 KB)

Adsorption and release of proteins

Controlled adsorption and release of proteins on hydrophobic PNIPAM-grafted surfaces

The same way cells adsorb on hydrophobic PNIPAM surfaces, proteins may be reversibly trapped on PNIPAM surfaces, then released upon command. This is actually one of the things I did during my thesis.

• Download the resizable, editable SVG source file (SVG, 63 KB)

Licensing and reuse

All the source files are vector graphics, i.e. they can be resized at will without loss of quality or pixelation. They are released under a Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike license, which means you are free to use them, modify them, redistribute them for any purpose as long as you appropriately attribute them, and that you distribute any derivative works only under the same license.

The convergence between technological and natural objects at the micro- and nanoscale has been long emphasized, including by Stanley Fields ¹ whose declaration has become famous:

Because technology provides the tools and biology the problems, the two should enjoy a happy marriage.

Although this statement is awfully simplistic, biology and technology do enjoy a happy marriage, and I was thrilled to experience it during the last three years. My Ph.D work has been very interdisciplinary and I wanted to dedicate a special section of my thesis to how cool, yet difficult, it is to work at the crossroads of biology, chemistry, physics & technology. Because an image is worth a thousand words, I assembled a nice comparison of various reference biological objects and technological devices at the micro- and nanoscale. Most of the images I used were available on Wikimedia Commons and I made the others.

Biological and technological scales compared

The source file is vector graphics, i.e. it can be resized at will without loss of quality or pixelation. It is released under a Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike license, which means you are free to use it, modify it, redistribute it for any purpose as long as you appropriately attribute it, and that you distribute any derivative works only under the same license.

Links

• Download the vector graphics source file (SVG, 1.46 MB)
• See the author & licensing information page on Wikimedia Commons, including links to all the images used in this one

Notes