Biographie

Alexandra Homsy teaches micro engineering, biophysics and BioMEMS in the HE-Arc bachelor courses and microfluidics for the HES-SO master of engineering. She also runs microfluidic research activities in the medical devices group at HE-Arc. She received her Ph.D. in micro engineering from Neuchâtel University in 2006. Her interests focus on the industrialization of lab-on-a-chip and organ-on-chip devices, SOLID technology, micro-pumps, integration of microfluidic components, as well as low cost microfluidic materials and fabrication methods for medical, environmental diagnosis, and food applications.

A good example is the NanoCI (link) project, which yielded a proof of concept that gapless interface between auditory neurons and cochlear implant electrode arrays is feasible. These findings may be of relevance for the development of future cochlear implant systems with better sound quality and performance and lower energy consumption. Another example is the blood filtration device developed and tested in the framework of the EU FP6 project called Care‐man (link). The fully integrated fluid processing and real-time analysis devices developped in the framework of the NanoTera IRSens (link) project is another successful example.

List of publications
Invited talks

"Microfluidics-based formulation of bacterial-fungal consortia for delivery in soil", Swiss Nanoconvention, Fribourg, July 2022
“Portable systems for real samples manipulation and analysis”, EDAM's day, Neuchâtel, February 2019
“Medtech applications of parylene coatings at the HE-Arc”, invited lecture FHNW Life sciences 2019
“Portable systems for real samples manipulation and analysis”, eighth microfluidic consortium meeting, April 2017
“On-chip continuous IR spectroscopy detection of cocaine in human saliva”, EPIC Healthtech event, May 2016, Cork, Ireland
"Microfluidic systems for real samples analysis", Nanotech Montreux - Conférence Alliance Lab-on-a-chip, 18 Novembre 2014
“Microfluidic stickers”, NanoTera workshop: Lab-on-chip & remote data analysis, Zürich, June 2010
“Introduction to Microfluidics”, International school of Quantum electronics, Optical biosensors and biochips for clinical applications, Erice-Sicily: July 2008

Conference management, review boards

Co-chair of the Swiss Nanoconvention 2023, Neuchâtel, June 2023
Member of the swiss micro and nanotechnology (MNT) network since 2019
Member of the technical program chair of the Micro-TAS international conference since 2019
Member of the review board for the scientific journal Micromachines (MDPI publishing group) since 2019
EU expert to assist in the evaluation of H2020 grant applications.
Member of the Women in Microfluidics & BioMEMS List (https://microfluidics.berkeley.edu)
Member of the sponsoring committee for the µ-TAS2019 conference
Conference co-organisation for JMM2015 and 2017 (journées des microtechniques médicales) EPHJ/EPMT/SMT Geneva - Palexpo
Life Sciences Topic chair at MNE 2014, Lausanne-Switzerland, Sep. 2014
Technical program chair at Eurosensors 2012, Krakow-Poland, September 2012
Member of the promotion comitee for MicroTAS 2012, Okinawa-Japan, October 2012
Technical program chair at Eurosensors 2011, Athens-Greece, September 2011
Member of the local organizing committee of MMB 2011, Luzern – CH, May 2011
Technical program chair and microfluidics session chair at Eurosensors 2010, Linz-Austria, September 2010
Member of the poster selection comitee for MicroTAS 2010, Groningen-The Netherlands, October 2012
Member of the Technical program chair and Microfluidics session chair at Eurosensors 2009

Peer-reviewed papers
2020

E. Laux, et al., Impact on organic solvents in combination with redox-couples on magnitude and sign of Seebeck coefficient and electrical current in thermoelectric generators, Materials today: Proceedings https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2020.06.447

2017

P. Senn, M. Roccio, S. Hahnewald, C. Frick, M. Kwiatkowska, M. Ishikawa, P. Bako, H. Li, F. Edin, W. Liu, H. Rask-Andersen, I. Pyykkö, J. Zou, M. Mannerström, H. Keppner, A. Homsy, E. Laux, M. Llera, J.P. Lellouche, S. Ostrowsky, E. Banin, M. Natan, A. Gedanken, N. Perkas, U. Wank, K.H. Weismüller, P. Mistik, H. Benav, C. Garnham, C. Jolly, F. Gander, P. Ulrich, M. Mueller, H. Loewenhein, NANOCI - Nanotechnology based cochlear implant with gapless interface to auditory neurons, Otology & Neurotology (invited review, DOI to be disclosed)
H.J. Whitlow, E. Guibert, P. Jeanneret, A. Homsy, J. Roth, S. Krause, A. Roux, E. Eggermann, L. Stoppini, Post-focus expansion of ion beams for low fluence and large area MeV ion irradiation: Application to human brain tissue and electronics devices, Nuclear Inst. and Methods in Physics Research, B, doi: 10.1016/j.nimb.2017.01.054

2016

F. Clavica, A. Homsy, L. Jeandupeux, and D. Obrist, Red blood cell phase separation in symmetric and asymmetric microchannel networks: effect of capillary dilation and inflow velocity, Scientific Reports – Nature, doi: 10.1038/srep36763
M. Natan, F. Edin, N. Perkas, G. Yacobi, I. Perelshtein, E. Segal, A. Homsy, E. Laux, H. Keppner, H. Rask-Andersen, A. Gedanken and E. Banin, Two Are Better than One: Combination of ZnO and MgF2 Nanoparticles Reduces Streptococcus pneumoniae Biofilm Formation on Cochlear Implants, Advanced Functional Materials, doi : 10.1002/adfm.201504525
L. Wang, C. Meyer, E. Guibert, A. Homsy, H.J. Whitlow, Fabrication of high-transmission microporous membranes by proton beam writing-based molding technique, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B proceeding, submitted july 2016 (ref. submission : NIMB_PROCEEDINGS-D-16-00073)

2015

A. Homsy, E. Laux, J. Brossard, H.J. Whitlow, M. Roccio, S. Hahnewald, P. Senn, P. Mistrík, R. Hessler, T. Melchionna, C. Frick, H. Löwenheim, M. Müller, U. Wank, K-H- Wiesmüller and H. Keppner, Fine control of drug delivery for cochlear implant applications, Hearing, Balance and Communication, accepted May 2015, doi: 10.3109/21695717.2015.1048082
A. Homsy, E. Laux, L. Jeandupeux, J. Charmet, R. Bitterli, C. Botta, O. Banakh, H. Keppner, "Solid on liquid deposition, a review of technological solutions", Microelectronic Engineering, doi:10.1016/j.mee.2015.03.068
K. Twomey, P. O’Mara, J. Pulka, S. McGillycuddy, E. Hurley, A. Blake, P. Vazquez, E. Vereshschagina, M. Manning, A. Homsy, B. Glynn, V.I. Ogurtsov, « Fabrication and Characterisation of a test platform integrating nanoporous structures with biochemical functionality », IEEE Sensors journal 2015, DOI: 10.1109/JSEN.2015.2398673
Harry J. Whitlow, Rattanaporn Norarat, Marta Roccio, Patrick Jeanneret, Edouard Guibert, Maxime Bergamin, Gianni Fiorucci, Alexandra Homsy, Edith Laux, Herbert Keppner, Pascal Senn, “MeV ion beam lithography of bicompatible halogenated Parylenes using aperture masks”, Nuclear Instruments and Methods Section-B, dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nimb.2014.10.024

2014

P. Jouy, M. Mangold, B. Tuzson, L. Emmenegger, Y.-C. Chang, L. Hvozdara, H.P. Herzig, Ph. Wägli, A. Homsy, N.F. de Rooij, A. Wirthmueller, D. Hofstetter, H. Looser and J. Faist “Mid-infrared spectroscopy for gases and liquids based on quantum cascade technologies” The Analyst, 139(9), 2039

2013

Ph. Waegli, Y.-C. Chang, A. Homsy, L. Hvozdara, H.P. Herzig, and N.F. de Rooij “Microfluidic droplet-based liquid-liquid extraction and on-chip IR-spectroscopy detection of cocaine in human saliva”. Analytical chemistry, 85(15), pp. 7558-7565

2012

Y.-C. Chang, P. Wägli, V. Paeder, A. Homsy, L. Hvozdara, P. van der Wal, J. Di Francesco, N.F. de Rooij and H.P. Herzig. “Cocaine detection by a mid-infrared waveguide integrated with a microfluidic chip” Lab on a Chip, Vol. 12, pp. 3020-3023
M. Barbaro, A. Caboni, D. Loi, S. Lai, A. Homsy, P. D. van der Wal, N. F. de Rooij, “Label-free, direct DNA detection by means of a standard CMOS electronic chip”, Sensors & Actuators: B. Chemical, Vol. 171, pp. 148-154
A. Homsy, P.D. van der Wal, W. Doll, R. Schaller, S. Korsatko, M. Ratzer, M. Ellmerer, T.R. Pieber, A. Nicol, N.F. de Rooij, “Development and validation of a low cost blood filtration element separating plasma from undiluted whole blood”, Biomicrofluidics, Vol. 6, 012804

2011

Ph. Wägli, A. Homsy, and N.F. de Rooij, “Norland optical adhesive (NOA81) microchannels with adjustable wetting behavior and high chemical resistance against a range of mid-infrared-transparent organic solvents”, Sensors & Actuators: B. Chemical, Vol. 156 (2), pp. 994-1001

2009

J. Strutwolf, G. Herzog, A. Homsy, A. Berduque, C.J. Collins and D.W.M. Arrigan, “Potentiometric characterisation of a dual-stream electrochemical microfluidic device”, Microfluidics and Nanofluidics, Vol. 6, pp. 231-240

2008

K.A. Heyries, M.G. Loughran, D. Hoffmann, A. Homsy, L.J. Blum, C.A. Marquette, “Microfluidic Biochip for Chemiluminescent Detection of Allergen-Specific Antibodies”, Biosensors and Bioelectronics , Vol. 23, pp. 1812-1818

2007

A. Homsy, V. Linder, F. Lucklum, and N.F. de Rooij, “Magnetohydrodynamic Pumping in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Environments”, Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, Vol. 123, pp. 636-646

2005

A. Homsy, S. Koster, J.C.T. Eijkel, A. Van den Berg, F. Lucklum, E. Verpoorte and N.F. de Rooij, “A high current density DC magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) micropump”, Lab on a Chip Vol. 5 pp. 466-471

2003

C. Massin, F. Vincent, A. Homsy, K. Ehrmann, P.-A. Besse, A. Daridon, E. Verpoorte, N.F. de Rooij, and R.S. Popovic, “Planar microcoil-based microfluidic NMR probes”, Journal of Magnetic Resonance Vol. 164, pp. 242-255

2000

M. Boschung, A. Homsy, O.P. Joneja and R. Chawla “Characterisation of MCP-7s material for use as a beta extremity dosemeter”, Radiation Protection Dosimetry Vol. 92, pp. 313-318

Conference peer-reviewed papers
2022

. Homsy, E. Laux, L. Jeandupeux, T. Nogueira-Matos, A. Manimala, N. Châtelain, C. Prieur, C. Martin-Olmos, I. Hashmi, C. Hyde, C. Ruiz, P. Junier, S. Bindschedler, Production and viability of encapsulated bacterial-fungal consortia for delivery in soil, Poster, The 26th international conference on miniaturized systems for chemistry and life sciences (µTAS 2022), Hangzhou, China
J. Maturo, J. Vuilleumier, N. Schaad, J. Renner, P. Brodard, Y. Domae, A. Kämpfer-Homsy, G. Balestra, New designs and manufacturing possibilities for inkjet print head nozzle plates, Poster, Swiss e-Print 2022, September 5-6, Buchs, Switzerland
S. Schmidt, C. Messner, C. Gaiser, B. Petkus, L. Burr, J. Roth, A. Homsy, F. Kurth, S. Generelli, L. Suter-Dick, Soluble factors are involved in the propagation of liver fibrosis in vitro, 21st international congress ESTIV, 21-25 November 2022, Barcelona, Spain
S. Schmidt, C. Gaiser, J. Roth, A. Homsy, F. Kurth, L. Burr, S. Generelli, L. Suter-Dick, A microphysiological system representing liver fibrosis, the concept of AOP-Chip, Microphysiological systems world summit, May 30th – June 3rd 2022, New Orleans, USA
F. Flahaut and A. Homsy, Développement d’un nouvel outil de diagnostic toxicologique à l’aide de puce microfluidiques intelligents (AOP plug’n’play), Talk, Innovation petit déjeuner, Swiss plastic cluster, May 2022, St Imier, Switzerland

2020

M. Hofmann, E. Laux, L. Jeandupeux, A. Homsy, and P. Potty, Simulation of the convection behavior in a liquid-based thermoelectric generator, Poster, Virtual Conference on Thermoelectrics (VCT2020), July 21-23 2020, https://youtu.be/Tl7QbfZgzZw

2019

A. Homsy, L. Jeandupeux, M. Walaszczyk, C. Prieur, F. Truffer, M. Geiser, I. Udrisard, A. Kosinska Cagnazzo, W. Andlauer, and H.J. Whitlow, A micro-fluidic device to measure antioxidative capacity of tea catechins, Poster, The 23rd international conference on miniaturized systems for chemistry and life sciences (µTAS 2019), October 22-26 2019, Basel, Switzeland
E. Laux, L. Jeandupeux, A. Homsy, M. Hofmann, P. Potty, H. Keppner, Impact on organic solvents in combination with redox-couples on magnitude and sign of Seebeck coefficient and electrical current in thermoelectric generators, ECT 2019, 19th conference on thermoelectrics, 23-25 Sep, Limassol, Cyprus

2018

S. Farine Brunner, E. Condemi, M. Geiser, A. Homsy, R. Marti, M. E. Pfeifer, P. Roduit, C. Schalcher, J.-M. Segura, A. Simalatsar, and F. Truffer, DrugSens: A system for Continuous Monitoring of the Anticancer Agent Methotrexate in Patient's Blood, Poster pitch presentation, MCPS workshop April 2018

2017

J. Charmet, A. Homsy, M. Wood, J. Covington, L. Isa, M. Textor, T.P.J. Knowles, and H. Keppner, Local micro and nano patterning of microfluidic devices using the solid on liquid deposition process, Poster, The 21st international conference on miniaturized systems for chemistry and life sciences (µTAS 2017), October 22-26 2017, Savannah, USA
S. Farine Brunner, E. Condemi, M. Geiser, E. Hochstrasser, A. Homsy, L. Jeandupeux, R. Marti, M. E. Pfeifer, G. Rittiner, P. Roduit, C. Schalcher, J.-M. Segura, A. Sierro, A. Simalatsar, F. Telmont, and F. Truffer, DrugSens: A system for Continuous Monitoring of the Anticancer Agent Methotrexate in Patient's Blood, Poster and flash presentation, Medi-labo-tech, Aug. 30 – Sept 1 2017, Lausanne, Switzerland
E. Condemi, C. Tematio, N. Fosso, K. Nicolet, L. Jeandupeux, A. Homsy, S. Schintke, and J.-M. Segura, Towards a rapid and quantitative point-of-care test for the differential diagnosis of fever, Poster and flash presentation, Medi-labo-tech, Aug. 30 – Sept 1 2017, Lausanne, Switzerland

2016

C. Meyer, L.P Wang, E. Guibert, A. Homsy, H.J. Whitlow, ”Fabrication of high transmission microporous membranes by proton beam writing and soft lithography”, Polymer Replication on Nanoscale (PRN2016), 19-20 May 2016, Brugg-Windisch, Switzerland