Myriam Reffay's Group

We are a young and dynamic group based in the Matière et Système Complexes laboratory in the heart of the Paris Rive Gauche district within the Université Paris Cité.

We study the self-organization, mechanics, and emergent properties of model tissues, viewed as active living matter, in the contexts of muscle differentiation and tumour progression. By combining approaches from cell biology, nanotechnology, biophysics, and mechanobiology, we investigate how cellular activity, tissue architecture, and mechanical forces interact to shape the organization and fate of active tissues. The focus is on two particular areas : understanding how mechanical cues and cell-generated forces regulate tissue remodeling and contribute to muscle differentiation and to tumour invasion. Our aim is not only to decipher the physical and biological principles governing tissue organization and mechanics, but also to understand how these processes can be modulated by applying or controlling physical constraints, ultimately providing new ways to influence tissue fate and pathological progression.