Dr Mar Eroles

Mar Eroles is a postdoctoral researcher in Dr. Felix Rico’s laboratory (DyNaMo) at Aix-Marseille Université and INSERM in France. Her area of research covers the study of mechanical biomarkers in the inflammatory response through the development of instrumentation, sample preparation, data acquisition and analysis tools for robust and fast AFM viscoelastic measurements of cells and tissues. Mar has been particularly drawn to this area of research due to its potential for providing faster, label-free, and minimally invasive methods for diagnosing and monitoring diseases.

Throughout Mar's doctoral work, two significant mechanical hallmarks related to the inflammatory response were characterized by AFM. Viscoelastic changes during monocyte differentiation into macrophages across various activation states were investigated, revealing insights into how macrophage stiffening may enhance mechanosensitivity activity during inflammation. Additionally, the study elucidated the influence of cytoskeletal modulation and adhesive processes on mechanical alterations at the nanoscale, employing a coupled system involving atomic force microscopy and interference contrast microscopy.  

Mar’s contributions extended to identifying mechanical biomarkers in monocytes during hyperinflammatory syndromes, such as the 'cytokine storm,' in an in vitro model. Although still in preparation, this research holds promise for future clinical applications. 

Collaborative endeavours played a crucial role in Mar's research journey. Through multidisciplinary projects and the support of MSCA-ITN Phys2BioMed, Mar actively participated in developing new tools and protocols for utilizing mechanical biomarkers effectively. 

One notable collaboration involved the development of the shear-flow deformation cytometer (SF-DC) technology in conjunction with Dr. Ben Fabry's laboratory in Germany. Contributions were made to refining experimental protocols and data analysis techniques for suspended cells. Additionally, AFM was used to enhance the robustness of viscoelastic measurements by comparing two viscoelastic models based on a power law. 

She has also traveled to the prestigious Kanazawa University in Japan to work in NanoLSI with Dr. Clemens Franz thanks to her JSPS fellowship. During this stay, Mar was instrumented in advanced imaging techniques like high-speed AFM (HS-AFM) and holographic tomography imaging of cells. 

Furthermore, involvement in software development for analyzing force-deformation curves and microrheology in atomic force microscopy measurements showcased Mar’s dedication to advancing measurement techniques in the field. Mar also played a part in a collective effort to standardize atomic force measurements in cells, thereby promoting greater consistency and reliability in mechanical assessments across the AFM research community. 

Her research continues using HS-AFM to study cell membrane dynamics at unprecedented speeds. 

Mar Eroles

Recent AFM-related papers:

• Eroles M. & Rico F. (2023) Advances in mechanical biomarkers Journal of Molecular Recognition 36 (8)

• Eroles M., Lopez-Alonso J., Ortega A., Boudier T., Gharzeddine K., Lafont F., Franz C.M., Millet A., Valotteau C. & Rico F. (2023) Coupled mechanical mapping and interference contrast microscopy reveal viscoelastic and adhesion hallmarks of monocyte differentiation into macrophages Nanoscale 29  

• Gerum R., Mirzahossein E., Eroles M., Elsterer J., Mainka A., Bauer A., Sonntag S., Winterl A., Bartl J., Fischer L., Abuhattum S., Goswami R., Girardo S., Guck J., Schrüfer S., Ströhlein N., Nosratlo M., Herrmann H., Schultheis D., Rico F., Müller S.J., Gekle S. & Fabry B. (2022) Viscoelastic properties of suspended cells measured with shear flow deformation cytometry eLife 11:e78823

• Pérez-Domínguez S., Kulkarni S.G., Pabijan J., Gnanachandran K., Holuigue H., Eroles M., Lorenc E., Berardi M., Antonovaite N., Marini M.L., Alonso J.L., Redonto-Morata L., Dupres V., Janel S., Acharya S., Otero J., Navajas D., Bielawski K., Schillers H., Lafont F., Rico F., Podestà A., Radmacher M. & Lekka M. (2023) Reliable, standardized measurements for cell mechanical properties Nanoscale 40

• López-Alonso J., Eroles M., Janel S., Berardi M., Pellequer J., Dupres V., Lafont F. & Rico F. (2024) PyFMLab: Open-source software for atomic force microscopy microrheology data analysis [version 2; peer review: 2 approved]. Open Res Europe 3:187

Biography:

Mar earned her PhD in immunology applied to physics from Aix-Marseille Université as part of the Phys2BioMed MSCA-ITN network. With a unique blend of expertise in both immunology and cell mechanics, Mar focused her research on discovering mechanical biomarkers for novel diagnostics and high-throughput approaches in biophysics, specifically related to the inflammatory response of leukocytes. During her doctoral studies, she developed a deep expertise in the use of atomic force microscopy for the viscoelastic characterization of cells.

Prior to her time as a researcher, Mar worked as an investment analyst for VC and private investors in Spain and Italy, screening and connecting investors. She has remained an active member of the European start-up community, serving as both a jury member and mentor in several acceleration programs, including EIT Health, the Founder Institute, and Mass Challenge. Mar has also served as an expert in the biomedical field for the European Commission in the European Innovation Council for several years while leading Imagine IF! Global Accelerator in Barcelona. Additionally, she founded her own consulting firm, Mandarina Capital, in 2018 to help biomedical start-ups navigate financing rounds. 

Twitter: @mareroles

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mareroles/

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