SFP Alpes

Olivier CHABRE (endocrinologie)
2026-04-02 08:00 - 09:00 (Europe/Paris) | CHU – Salle Gilbert Faure, CHU Grenoble Alpes Pavillon Vercors (côté Belledonne), La Tronche, 38043, France
Carence iodée et hypothyroïdie congénitale : situation actuelle dans les Alpes et au-delà
Contact : sante-communication@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr

Karine PHILIPPOT (Laboratoire de Chimie de Coordination du CNRS (LCC-CNRS), Toulouse, France)
2026-04-02 10:30 - 11:30 | DCM – Salle C209, DCM - Bât Chimie Recherche 301 rue de la Chimie, St Martin d'Hères, 38400, France
Design of nanocatalysts following molecular chemistry principles
Résumé :
Due to their singular properties and potential applications in various fields, considerable effort is being devoted to the design of metal-based nanomaterials. The « Metal Nanoparticle Engineering » team at LCC-CNRS (Toulouse, France) has developed an effective toolkit for the synthesis of controlled metal nanoparticles using concepts from molecular chemistry. This approach is based on the hydrogenation of organometallic or metallo-organic complexes under mild conditions (ambient temperature; 3 bar H2) in the presence of ligands as stabilising agents. (1) This approach makes it possible to obtain small nanoparticles (<10 nm) with controlled composition, either monometallic or bimetallic (alloy, core-shell, surface-decorated). These nanoparticles can be deposited on a support by simple impregnation or by direct synthesis in the presence of the chosen support (polymers, ionic liquids, silica, alumina, carbonaceous materials, etc.). These metal nanoparticle systems are suitable models for fundamental research. They find applications in various fields such as catalysis. (2,3) Non exhaustive examples concern biomass valorization (4), hydrogenation catalysis (4-6) including reduction of CO2, (7) or electrocatalytic (8-11) or photocatalytic (12-13) water splitting process.
References :
1 C. Amiens, D. Ciuculescu-Pradines, K. Philippot, Coord. Chem. Rev., 2016, 38, 409-432.
2 M. R. Axet, K. Philippot, Chem. Rev 2020, Chem. Rev. 2020, 120, 2, 1085-1145.
3 Nanoparticles in Catalysis: Advances in Synthesis and Applications, Wiley-VCH, K. Philippot & A. Roucoux (Eds.), 2021.
4 M. Cardona, P. Lecante, C. Dinoi, I. del Rosal, R. Poteau, K. Philippot, M. Rosa Axet, Green Chemistry, 2021, 23, 8480-8500.
5 C. J Abou-Fayssal, C. Fliedel, R. Poli, A. Riisager, K. Philippot, E. Manoury, Materials Today Chemistry, 2023, 34, 101752 (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtchem.2023.101752).
6 D. Krishnan, L. Schill, M. R. Axet, K. Philippot, A. Riisager, ChemCatChem 2024,16(4) : e20230144.
7 X.-P. Fu, L. Peres, J. Esvan, C. Amiens, K. Philippot, N. Yan, Nanoscale, 2021, 13, 8931-8939.
8 J. Creus, S. Drouet, S. Suriñach, P. Lecante, V. Collière, R. Poteau, K. Philippot, J.García-Antón, X. Sala, ACS Catalysis., 2018, 8, 11094-11102.
9 L. Mallón, J. Navarro-Ruiz, C. Cerezo-Navarrete, N. Romero, I. del Rosal, J. García-Antón, R. Bofill, L. M. Martínez-Prieto, K. Philippot, R. Poteau, X. Sala, ACS Applied Materials &
Interfaces 2025, 17(4), 6198-6210.
10 Nanoscale NiCu electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction, T. Straistari, N. Romero, J. Esvan, M. Gil Sepulcre, C. Amiens, O. Rüdiger, S. Debeer, S. Cavaliere, K. Philippot, Nanoscale 2025, 17, 17592-17603.
11 Regulating NiFeOOH oxidation states through ruthenium incorporation, L. Mallón,1, L. Peres, N. Rivas, A. Garzón Manjón, C. Scheu, M. Gil-Sepulcre, O. Rüdiger, S. DeBeer, N. Romero, J.
Esvan, J. García-Antón, L. Rodríguez-Santiago, X. Solans-Monfort, R. Bofill, K. Philippot, L. Francàs, X. Sala, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2026, in press.
12 N. Romero, F. Sabuzi, M. Forchetta, M. Natali, R. Signorini, R. Bofill, L. Francàs, M. Gil-Sepulcre, O. Rüdiger, S. DeBeer, J. García-Antón, K. Philippot, P. Galloni, A. Sartorel, X. Sala, Green Chemistry 2025, 27, 4352-4368.
13 Dyadic Ru-based Nanomaterials for Visible Light-driven Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution, G. Martí, M. Aliqué, I. López, L. Francàs, R. Bofill, O. Schott, G. S. Hanan, N. Romero, K. Philippot, A. Llobet, M. Natali, J. García-Antón, X. Sala, Applied Surface Science, 2026, 716, 164621
Contact : carole.duboc@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr

Carole ESCARTIN (directrice de recherche à NeuroPSI, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay)
2026-04-02 16:00 - 18:30 | Laboratoire IJCLab – Auditorium Pierre Lehmann, Rue Ampère, Orsay cedex, 91898, France
Les cellules gliales dans les maladies neurodégénératives : rôles émergents et potentiel thérapeutique
Résumé :
Les neurones ne sont pas seuls dans le cerveau. A leur côté, plusieurs types de cellules, collectivement appelées « cellules gliales », remplissent de nombreux rôles essentiels pour le bon fonctionnement et la survie des neurones. Ces cellules leur apportent des substrats énergétiques, assurent la défense contre des pathogènes, éliminent certains déchets cellulaires, et même régulent la façon dont les neurones transmettent et traitent l’information nerveuse.
Au final, les cellules gliales qui restent souvent dans l’ombre des neurones, sont des partenaires actifs permettant au cerveau de fonctionner, mais aussi d’apprendre et de s’adapter.
Depuis plusieurs années, les chercheurs découvrent que ces cellules jouent aussi un rôle important dans de nombreuses maladies qui touchent le cerveau. En effet, ces cellules se transforment en contexte pathologique, elles sont dites « réactives ». Ces changements peuvent avoir des conséquences majeures – positives ou négatives – sur les neurones et leur survie.
Les cellules gliales sont l’objet d’études variées pour comprendre leurs rôles dans le cerveau sain et pathologique, ouvrant des nouvelles pistes thérapeutiques pour de nombreuses maladies cérébrales.
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Toutes les informations sont disponibles sur : https://indico.ijclab.in2p3.fr/event/12390/
Contact : louis.fayard@IJCLAB.INP3.FR

Juan FONTECILLA-CAMPS (IBS/Groupe Métalloprotéines)
2026-04-03 11:00 - 12:00 | IBS – Salle des séminaires, IBS 71 avenue des Martyrs, Grenoble, 38042, France
Origin and evolution of the eukaryotic cell : the emergence of cooperation, competition and altruisme
Résumé :

The evolutionary transition from prokaryotes to eukaryotes most likely involved the fusion of an archeon with a bacterium. One important consequence of this fusion was an increase in mean gene length in protists to about 1500 nucleotides, and corresponding 500 amino acids-long proteins. The subsequent evolution of plants and metazoans resulted in a lengthening of their genes (to over 10,000 nucleotides per gene in vertebrates). However, the coded proteins remained at an average length of also about 500 amino acids. The significance of the difference in gene length but constant protein size has been the subject of some controversy.
A second result of the evolutionary transition from prokaryotes to eukaryotes was the emergence of competition, cooperation and even altruism, between cells. These interactions cover a large spectrum going from single-cell organisms to mammals like us. Indeed, recent studies have shown that cancer cells do collaborate during tumor growth.​

These two subjects will be discussed during the seminar.​​​

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Les séminaires et soutenances sont ouverts à tous, notez toutefois que l’accès au campus EPN nécessite un avis de rendez-vous. Merci de remplir ce formulaire et de l’adresser, plus de 48h à l’avance, à ce contact. Pensez à vous munir d’une pièce d’identité le jour de votre visite.

Rajeesh KUMAR N (Research Associate, Experimental Physics IV – Solid State Physics, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany)
2026-04-07 11:00 - 12:00 | ILL – Salle de Séminaire (110-111), ILL 50 71 avenue des Martyrs, Grenoble, 38042, France
Magnetism and spin dynamics of a weakly interacting rare-earth stretched diamond lattice
Résumé :
In condensed matter physics, a quantum-disordered ground state is characterized by the absence of long-range order down to absolute zero temperature, where the disorder is driven by quantum fluctuations that persist even at T=0. On the other hand, the magnetism of rare-earth materials is particularly intriguing as it originates from their localized 4f electrons, which exhibit strong spin–orbit coupling, pronounced magnetic anisotropy, and relatively weak exchange interactions between magnetic ions. These unique characteristics, when combined with suitable lattice geometry, can give rise to a wide variety of unconventional magnetic ground states.
A diamond magnetic lattice is a bipartite network and in its ideal form, does not exhibit geometric frustration. However, “stretched” diamond lattices have recently gained attention where frustration can emerge due to competition between nearest-neighbor (J1) and next-nearest-neighbor (J2) exchange interactions, despite preserving the bipartite nature. In this context, we investigate the magnetic ground state of the rare-earth molybdate compound Na5Yb(MoO4)4, which crystallizes in a stretched diamond magnetic lattice. This compound can be viewed as a complex derivative of the conventional scheelite- type ABO4 structure, crystallizing in the tetragonal space group I41/a. The magnetic lattice in Na5Yb(MoO4)4 is highly unusual, featuring a remarkably large nearest-neighbor Yb–Yb separation of approximately 6.3 Å, in contrast to previously studied stretched-diamond systems where the J1 distance typically lies in the range of 3–5 Å and is predominantly governed by superexchange interactions. Furthermore, the next-nearest-neighbor (J2) Yb–Yb distance exceeds 9 Å, significantly weakening the J2 exchange interactions. As a result, magnetic frustration arising from competing J1–J2 exchange is significantly suppressed in Na5Yb(MoO4)4, distinguishing it from other frustrated diamond-lattice systems.
We employ neutron and synchrotron X-ray diffraction to elucidate the structural details of Na5Yb(MoO4)4. The magnetic properties and ground state are investigated using bulk magnetic susceptibility measurements, specific heat studies, and muon spin relaxation (μSR) experiments. In addition, density functional theory calculations within the DFT+U framework are used to provide theoretical support for the experimental findings. Our results establish Na5Yb(MoO4)4 as a rare example of a dipolar quantum paramagnet in which single-ion physics and long-range dipolar interactions dominate, while exchange interactions are suppressed to the millikelvin energy scale.
Reference
1. N. D. Kelly et al., Physical Review Materials 6, 044410 (2022).
2. A. Chauhan et al., Physical Review B 108, 134424 (2023).
3. J. Kumar et al., Physical Review B 111, 014411 (2025).
4. T. Arh et al., Nat. Mater. 21, 416 (2022).

College 5B Secretary
Alberto Rodriguez Velamazan
External visitors may ask for a site access to Brigitte Dubouloz (dubouloz@ill.fr)

Javier CAMPO (Aragón Nanoscience and Materials Institute (CSIC - Universidad de Zaragoza) Zaragoza, Spain)
2026-04-08 14:00 - 15:00 | ILL – Salle de Séminaire (110-111), ILL 50 71 avenue des Martyrs, Grenoble, 38042, France
A new magnetic state, “B-Phase”, found in MnSi at Low Temperatures
Résumé :
In cubic chiral magnets, Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya (DM) interactions within the chiral crystal structure result in diverse magnetic textures, including skyrmion lattices (SkL) and chiral soliton lattices, which hold promise for spintronic and magnonic devices. Among these, MnSi has been extensively studied due to the SkL formation in the so-called “A-phase” just below Tc [1]. Recently, it was suggested theoretically that at low temperatures (T), the conical helimagnetic (CH) and forced-ferromagnetic (FFM) phases in MnSi might not be directly connected but separated by another SkL phase, possibly metastable, or a new phase of unknown nature near the critical magnetic field (Bc) [2]. The theoretical prediction of the new SkL phase at low T is in good agreement with the experiments reported in MnSi and Cu2OSeO3 [3,4]. On the other hand, by using careful ac susceptibility measurements at low temperature, we determined the magnetic phase diagrams of oriented crystals of MnSi [5]. A new unexpected region, termed “B-phase”, was observed when the magnetic field was applied along the main diagonal <111>.
To clarify the nature of the “B-phase”, we performed small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements at TAIKAN in J-PARC and transverse field (TF)-μSR experiments at TRIUMF. At low temperatures and fields near Bc, SANS patterns revealed two peaks along the horizontal axis, corresponding to the magnetic Bragg peaks of the CH state. Notably, no diffraction peaks indicative of a six-fold-symmetric SkL were observed. Meanwhile, μSR results showed a distinct internal magnetic field distribution in the “B-phase”, different from those in the CH or FFM phases, suggesting that the “B-phase” could involve a reorientation of Mn helices within the unit cell.
In the presentation, we will discuss these SANS and μSR findings in detail and their implications for understanding the spin texture in the “B-phase”.
References

S. Mühlbauer et al., Science 323, 915 (2009).
V. Laliena and J. Campo, Phys. Rev. B 96, 134420 (2017).
T. Nakajima et al., Sci. Adv. 3, e1602562 (2017).
A. Chacon et al., Nature Phys 14, 936–941 (2018).
M. Ohkuma et al., APL Mater. 10, 041104 (2022).

College 5B Secretary
Alberto Rodriguez Velamazan
External visitors may ask for a site access to Brigitte Dubouloz (dubouloz@ill.fr)

Gonzalo PEREZ-BLASCO (Aragón Nanoscience and Materials Institute (CSIC - Universidad de Zaragoza) - Physics Condensed Matter Dept. Zaragoza, Spain)
2026-04-09 14:00 - 15:00 | ILL – Salle de Séminaire (110-111), ILL 50 71 avenue des Martyrs, Grenoble, 38042, France
Empirical machine learning for 3He spin-filter polarisation decay
Résumé :
A lightweight, empirical machine-learning framework is presented for predicting the time evolution of the nuclear polarisation of 3He spin-filter cells under realistic neutron beam line conditions. The method bridges the gap between detailed microscopic modelling of polarisation relaxation and purely heuristic correction schemes by combining supervised learning with basic physics-informed constraints on spin relaxation. This strategy ensures physically consistent polarisation forecasts while maintaining computational efficiency and ease of implementation.
The framework is tailored to the limited number of heterogeneous experimental datasets typically encountered during routine instrument operation. Rather than explicitly modelling all relaxation mechanisms, it learns an effective representation of polarisation decay directly from experimental data. Within the domain spanned by the training dataset, the model demonstrates stable predictive performance while preserving the expected exponential relaxation behaviour and accommodating non-linear, history-dependent effects.
The resulting predictions enable reliable, time-dependent corrections of neutron scattering data affected by polarisation efficiency drift. Compared with traditional single-parameter relaxation models, the approach accounts for the combined influence of multiple experimental parameters and their temporal evolution. Although extrapolation beyond the training domain requires careful validation, the method provides an operationally efficient and reproducible tool for polarisation monitoring and correction in realistic experimental environments.

College 6 Secretary
Gabriel Cuello
External visitors may ask for a site access to Brigitte Dubouloz (dubouloz@ill.fr)

Sophie MONNERY (Institut Jean le Rond d’Alembert, Paris)
2026-04-13 11:00 - 12:00 | LiPhy – Salle de conférence, LiPhy 140 avenue de la Physique, St Martin d'Hères, 38402, France
Granular heap on an elastic membrane : statics and dynamics
Résumé :
When granular material is poured onto an elastic membrane, it forms a heap whose weight deforms the membrane. The membrane’s deformation, in turn, constrains the heap’s geometry, causing its aspect ratio to deviate from the classic triangular profile. This coupling is governed by a dimensionless number that captures the balance between the membrane’s elasticity and the granular weight in this simplified elasto-granular system. We introduce an incremental model to predict the heap’s temporal evolution, accounting for its spreading and growth as mass is added.
Then, upon introducing energy into the system by vibrating the elastic support, grains rearrangements reshape the heap’s apex, giving rise to new configurations, including a “volcano-like” profile that is more compact. At even higher vibrational amplitudes, grains begin to detach from the bulk and to bounce on the membrane, with spiraling trajectories.
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Contact : philippe.marmottant@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr

Juan Bautista CARDA-CASTELLO (Inorganic and Organic Chemistry Department, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón (Spain))
2026-04-17 14:00 - 15:00 | LMGP – salle des séminaires, Grenoble INP -Phelma 3 parvis Louis Néel, Grenoble, 38054, France
Scientific and Technological Innovations in the Ceramic Industry
Résumé :
The conference “Scientific and Technological Innovations in the Ceramic Industry” will provide a concise overview of recent advances in ceramic materials, processing technologies, and new technological opportunities for the ceramic sector. It will examine the technological and economic relevance of the ceramic industry, together with the key properties that make ceramic materials attractive for advanced uses. Particular attention will be paid to ceramic coating deposition techniques and high-temperature sintering processes, as well as to processing routes such as laser zone melting or physical vapor deposition (PVD), whose application offers new possibilities for the ceramic industry. The lecture will also discuss application fields such as photovoltaics, catalysis, and other functional technologies, which represent expanding areas of interest for the ceramic sector. Overall, the presentation will show how innovation is broadening the industrial scope of ceramics beyond their traditional uses.
Short Bio/CV
Juan Bautista Carda Castelló is a Full Professor of Inorganic Chemistry, Head of the Solid State Chemistry Research Group and Director of the “Ciutat de Vila-real” Chair of Ceramic Innovation at Universitat Jaume I in Castellón (Spain). With a highly distinguished academic, scientific, and institutional career, he has developed an outstanding record in research, teaching, and technology transfer, with more than 300 scientific publications, numerous patents, and extensive participation in national and international research projects. He has supervised more than 35 PhD theses, promoted collaborations with universities and technological centers worldwide, and received several major distinctions for his contribution to science and ceramic innovation. His career has made him a leading figure in the fields of solid-state chemistry and ceramic technology.
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Contact : deborah.verger@grenoble-inp.fr

Klaus DIETERICH (génétique), Martial MALLARET (neurologue) & Céline BIBOULET BRUNEAU (neuropédiatre) - Service : Centre de référence neuro-musculaire)
2026-04-23 08:00 - 09:00 | CHU – Salle Gilbert Faure, CHU Grenoble Alpes Pavillon Vercors (côté Belledonne), La Tronche, 38043, France
Maladies neuromusculaires rares : comment la thérapie génique change la prise en charge de l’amyotrophie spinale
Contact : sante-communication@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr

Anamaria NESCULEA (LBBE - Lyon)
2026-04-23 13:00 - 14:00 | IMAG – Salle de Réunion, 150 place du Torrent, St Martin d’Hères, 38400, France
Genomic correlates of convergent phenotypic evolution in birds
Contact : lucie.lamothe@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr

Hermann SUDEROW (Universidad Autonoma de Madrid)
2026-04-23 14:00 - 15:00 | CNRS – Salle Rémy Lemaire (K223), CNRS - Institut Néel 25 avenue des Martyrs, Grenoble, 38042, France
Millikelvin scanning tunneling spectroscopy in heavy fermions
Résumé :
Since its invention over 40 years ago, Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) has provided an unprecedented window into matter at the atomic scale. By measuring tunneling conductance as a function of voltage with atomic precision, modern millikelvin STM offers a direct method to characterize the ground state of quantum materials with high energy resolution. I will discuss recent millikelvin STM experiments in the heavy fermion unconventional superconductor UTe2. UTe2 has a unique phase diagram, which is associated to equal spin pairing superconductivity and may potentially host topological modes at the surface. In this system we have identified a novel electron driven surface charge density wave (CDW)[1]. CDWs are often observed in dichalcogenides, cuprates, and pnictides, and arise from features in the lattice that facilitate electronic charge ordering. CDWs are considered to compete with Kondo screening and are relatively rare in heavy fermion metals. I will discuss the exceptional case of UTe2 and show how we identified the primitive wavevectors of the CDW and established the relationship between the surface CDW and the heavy fermion bulk properties. I will also briefly present recent advances and future prospects for STM, including novel routes to map the Josephson current at atomic scale [2], observation of surface superconductivity [3], STM in high vectorial magnetic fields [4] and Replica-STM [5].
[1] Surface charge density wave in UTe2, P. García et al, arXiv:2504.12505
[2] The feedback driven atomic scale Josephson microscope, S.D. Escribano et al, Nat Com 16, 5842 (2025).
[3] Robust surface superconductivity and vortex lattice in the Weyl semimetal g-PtBi2, J. Moreno et al, Arxiv 2508.04867.
[4] Scanning Tunneling Microscopy in high vectorial magnetic fields, J. Rumeu et al, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 97, 033705 (2026).
[5] Bridging atomic and mesoscopic length scales with Replica Scanning Tunneling Microscopy: Visualizing the intra-unit cell pair density modulation of superconducting FeSe at micron length scale, M. Agueda, Arxiv 2602.19678.
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Contact : florence.levy-bertrand@neel.cnrs.fr

Mikhail ELTSOV (Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch)
2026-04-24 11:00 - 12:00 | IBS – Salle des séminaires, IBS 71 avenue des Martyrs, Grenoble, 38042, France
Seeing chromatin in situ : advances and challenges of human and machine vision
Résumé :
Using cryo-electron tomography of vitreous sections, we directly visualized nucleosomes and linker DNA trajectories in situ within flash frozen Drosophila embryos. Measurements of linker length and curvature revealed an irregular zigzag pattern of chromatin folding characterized by relatively limited linker bending. In favorable orientations, individual nucleosome particles and their structural variants could be identified without the need for structural averaging. Moreover, we detected particles containing a variable number of DNA gyres, ranging from fewer than one to up to three, resembling previously proposed non-octameric nucleosome-like particles.
To place these structural observations in the context of functional chromatin organization, we are developing computational approaches for nucleosome identification in cellular tomograms. We believe that our approach, Template Learning, based on training deep-learning networks on synthetic tomographic data, can provide a general framework for detecting small macromolecular complexes in crowded cellular environments.
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Hôte : Irina Gutsche (IBS/MICA)

Pierre CAPLIER (Directeur adjoint du centre CEA de Grenoble)
2026-04-24 12:30 - 13:15 | Amphi Minatec, 3 parvis Louis Néel, Grenoble, 38054, France
70 ans du centre CEA de Grenoble : flashback sur l’histoire du centre et ses évolutions
Résumé :
Né dans le sillage de la création du Commissariat à l’énergie atomique en 1945, le Centre d’études nucléaires de Grenoble (CENG) a vu le jour en 1956 sous l’impulsion de Louis Néel, avec une vision fondatrice : faire dialoguer recherche fondamentale et technologique, innovation et industrie au service de la société.
Depuis sept décennies, le centre n’a cessé de se transformer. De la recherche nucléaire historique aux défis contemporains du numérique, de l’énergie, de la santé, des matériaux et de l’environnement, il a su anticiper les mutations scientifiques et technologiques, tout en restant fidèle à son esprit pionnier et à sa culture de coopération.
Un voyage dans le temps pour comprendre comment cette aventure scientifique, profondément ancrée à Grenoble, contribue à façonner des innovations qui impactent notre quotidien. Parce que comprendre d’où l’on vient, c’est aussi éclairer ce que nous construisons pour demain.
À propos de l’intervenant
Pierre Caplier est le directeur adjoint du centre CEA de Grenoble depuis 4 ans. Après plusieurs expériences à l’étranger (dans le cadre de la construction du Tunnel sous la Manche) et dans l’industrie en région AuRA (microélectronique et chimie fine), il a été recruté au CEA en 2005 pour prendre la responsabilité du Service Facilities du CEA-Leti, en charge de l’exploitation et des projets dans les salles blanches. Il a ensuite occupé les fonctions d’adjoint opérationnel au chef du département optique et photonique, toujours au LETI, puis celles d’adjoint au directeur de l’institut CEA-Irig dépendant de la Direction de la recherche fondamentale, en charge du soutien à la recherche.
Contact : giant.campus@cea.fr

Allen SCHEIE (ORNL, USA)
2026-04-27 14:00 - 15:00 | CNRS – Salle Louis Weil (E424), CNRS - Institut Néel 25 avenue des Martyrs, Grenoble, 38042, France
Quantum dynamics and emergent unconventional phase in Yb2Ti2O7
Résumé :
Yb2Ti2O7 is a classic and well-studied pyrochlore magnet, but it continues to hold surprises for science. In this talk I present inelastic neutron scattering showing the low-field evolution of the spectrum from diffuse continua to sharp excitations. I compare this to several theoretical models which capture its behavior to varying degrees, but which fail in the zero-field phase–which our exact diagonalization calculations show to be an emergent quantum disordered phase between ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism. Much of the behavior matches the phenomenology of quantum criticality: dimensional reduction, flat bands collapsing to zero frequency, and an emergent quantum phase on the boundary between competing phases. Thus although Yb2Ti2O7 is not a quantum spin ice, it appears to be dominated by intrinsic, emergent non-magnon fluctuations from an unconventional quantum phase.
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Contact : andrew.fefferman@neel.cnrs.fr

Elizabeth TILLY (University of New Mexico)
2026-04-28 14:00 - 15:00 | ILL – Salle de Séminaire (110-111), ILL 50 71 avenue des Martyrs, Grenoble, 38042, France
Directional Detection as a Tool for Rare-Event Searches
Résumé :
Measuring the initial scattering angle of a particle track provides powerful discrimination in rare-event searches and can enhance detector characterization. The Migdal effect–characterized by a nuclear recoil and an electron recoil originating from the same vertex–is an inherently directional signal. In this talk, I will present my work with the Migdal In Galactic Dark mAtter expLoration (MIGDAL) experiment which uses a GEM-based TPC. I will discuss the development of our 3D track reconstruction algorithms and studies exploiting its angular resolution to characterize detector response. I will also discuss measurements of drift properties in negative ion drift gas mixtures, maximizing noble gas components with the aim of improving spatial resolution for MIGDAL Phase II. Together these demonstrate the power and versatility of precise directional track reconstruction for next-generation rare-event searches.
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Hanno Filter (College 3 Secretary)
External visitors may ask for a site access to tellier@ill.fr

Emilie GAGNEPAIN & Vincent DATRY (Service : Clinique de Chirurgie Thoracique et Endocrinienne)
2026-04-30 08:00 - 09:00 | CHU – Salle Gilbert Faure, CHU Grenoble Alpes Pavillon Vercors (côté Belledonne), La Tronche, 38043, France
Découverte fortuite, décision réfléchie : l’incidentalome surrénalien en pratique
Contact : sante-communication@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr

Giulio FACCHINI (Laboratoire Matière et Systèmes Complexes, Paris)
2026-05-04 11:00 - 12:00 | LiPhy – Salle de conférence, LiPhy 140 avenue de la Physique, St Martin d'Hères, 38402, France
Deciphering the origin of saddle-shape geometry in the microstructure of echinoderms skeleton
Résumé :
The microstructure of echinoderms skeleton, like sea stars and sea urchins, is an impressive example of self-organization and complexity. This structure called stereom is a porous meshwork, made of calcite, whose surface is saddle-shaped, and remind of minimal surfaces. Minimal surfaces have intrigued scientists for centuries, as they can spontaneously emerge from minimizing interfacial energy like surface tension. Several studies have addressed the morphogenesis of the stereom, in sea urchins and other echinoderms, showing that it forms via the addition of tiny mineral bids at the tip of small skeletal elements that successively branch and bridge to form a complex network. Yet, a global, mechanistic, comprehension of how biomineralizing cells control preferential deposition is still lacking.
During the seminar I will present a recent work1 on the morphogenesis of the particular stereom geometry observed in the sea star P. nodosus. Here, the stereom can take the form of a diamond Triply Periodic Minimal Surface (TPMS) which confer it specific mechanical properties. Using different marking protocols, we provide the first experimental insight in the formation of the diamond TPMS stereom, and show that the formation of such a highly ordered structure relies on a precise and timely coordination of the branching and bridging episodes. Moreover, we provide experimental evidences of an organic precursor made of F – actin fibers exhibiting saddle-shape geometry. We hypothesise that such a fibers template may self-organise under mechanical tension, thus explaining the peculiar curvature signature of the final structure. Finally, I will present some ongoing experimental work performed on sea urchins, showing that the same morphogenetic mechanism could be shared across very different species.
Contact : emmanuel.siefert@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr

Maxime LUCAS (CY Cergy Paris Université)
2026-05-04 14:00 - 15:00 | CNRS – Salle Louis Weil (E424), CNRS - Institut Néel 25 avenue des Martyrs, Grenoble, 38042, France
Non-collinear magnetism in monolayer and magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene
Résumé :
Recent studies of twisted bilayer graphene (or other 2D materials) have been stimulated by the discovery of correlations between electronic flatband states due to a moiré pattern [1]. It is shown experimentally and theoretically that the filling of the flat bands affects their correlation and magnetic properties significantly.
On the other hand, the effect of doping on a simple graphene layer is still unclear. Indeed, its half-filled case is well known [2], but unlike other lattices [3] its magnetic properties beyond half filling are mostly unexplored, except at 1/4 doping [4] i.e when the Fermi energy is set inside of a Van Hove singularity associated to a flatband.
In this talk, I will first present our analysis of graphene magnetism using a combination of the Hubbard model and Hartree-Fock Mean Field Theory (MFT). We work at density values around 1/4 doping (average number of electrons per site Ne=0.75) as it puts the system right into one of the Van Hove singularities found in graphene’s density of states, giving rise to interesting magnetic properties. We present an interaction-density phase diagram and its associated magnetic orders, described by their band structure and spin structure factor [5].
I will then talk about magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene, to which we applied the same MFT method. While still a work in progress, I will present the current results we obtained on a Moiré lattice for various values of interaction and flat-band filling, revealing exotic spin textures such as an antiferromagnetic triangular order on the Moiré scale.
[1] Y. Cao et al., Nature 556, 43 (2018); Nature 556, 80 (2018).
[2] M. Raczkowski et al., Phys. Rev. B 101, 125103 (2020), and Refs. therein.
[3] R. Scholle et al., Phys. Rev. B 108, 035139 (2023)
[4] S. Jiang, A. Mesaros, Y. Ran, Phys. Rev. X 4, 031040 (2014)
[5] M. Lucas, A. Ralko, A. Honecker, G. Trambly de Laissardière, arXiv:2511.22714 (2025)
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Contact : andrew.fefferman@neel.cnrs.fr

Yukiko TAKAHASHI (NIMS, Japan)
2026-05-05 09:00 - 10:00 | CEA – Salle de Séminaire IRIG (1005 – 445), Laboratoire Irig/Spintec, salle de séminaire 445, bâtiment 1005, CEA-Grenoble, Grenoble
Material development for HAMR and its prospects
Résumé :

With the rapid expansion of IoT and digital transformation, data centers demand ever-higher storage densities. Heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) employs L1₀-FePt, whose magnetic anisotropy is an order of magnitude larger than that of conventional CoCrPt, enabling ultrahigh-density recording. Achieving areal densities beyond 4 Tbit/in² requires granular films with grain sizes ~4.3 nm and narrow inter-grain pitch with ~1 nm [1]. However, conventional segregant systems such as FePt-C and FePt-BN have not yet simultaneously satisfied the required microstructural and magnetic criteria.
​​ To overcome this limitation, we introduced a data- driven materials design framework using the NIMS Research Data Express (RDE) platform. By collecting experimental datasets and applying machine learning to FePt-C and FePt-BN systems, we predicted sputtering conditions that led to FePt-BN-C granular films with sub-6 nm grain sizes and coercivities up to 3.7 T. Although iterative prediction cycles improved the microstructure to 4.9 nm grains, the results also clarified the intrinsic difficulty of meeting all 4 Tbit/in² requirements within this materials system alone.
​​Beyond materials optimization, three-dimensional magnetic recording offers an additional pathway toward higher areal density. As a proof of concept, FePt-C/Ru-C/FePt-C trilayers were fabricated, demonstrating epitaxial stacking and distinct magnetic switching behaviors arising from different ordering states in the upper and lower FePt layers [2]. Strategies to improve the structural and magnetic quality of the upper layer will be discussed.
​​
​​ [1] D. Weller et al., IEEE Trans. Magn. 50, 3100108 (2014).
​​ [2] P. Tozman et al.,Acta Mater. 271, 119869 (2024).
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More information : https://www.spintec.fr/seminar-material-development-for-hamr-and-its-prospects/​​
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Visioconference : https://univ-grenoble-alpes-fr.zoom.us/j/98769867024?pwd=[REDACTED]​​
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​ Accès : access to CEA require​s an entry au​thorization. Request it : admin.spintec@cea.fr​

Uri VOOL (Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids)
2026-05-05 14:00 - 15:00 | CNRS – Salle Rémy Lemaire (K223), CNRS - Institut Néel 25 avenue des Martyrs, Grenoble, 38042, France
Hybrid circuits with van-der-Waals superconductors
Résumé :
Superconducting circuits (SCs) are quantum devices that mimic the behavior of atomic systems even though they are made up of macroscopic microwave circuit elements. Their tunability, high coherence, and strong coupling has led to their rapid development as a leading implementation of quantum hardware. Traditional SCs are made using known superconductors such as aluminum or niobium, but the integration of novel superconductors as part of the circuit can lead to new scientific insights and new capabilities. Such hybrid circuits are ideal sensors, capable of measuring the superconducting gap structures of novel materials using micron-sized samples, which is especially useful for interface superconductors or van-der-Waals flakes which cannot be probed with bulk techniques. Furthermore, the unique quantum properties of unconventional superconductors can be utilized to make a new class of quantum devices. This talk will present recent results where we explore van-der-Waals superconductors in cuprate and kagome systems with hybrid circuits, and a path towards utilizing them in new hybrid devices for quantum technology.
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Contact : equipe-seminaires-nano@listes.grenoble.cnrs.fr

Tiffany HO (Lab of Prof Brian Wilson at the Princess Margaret Cancer Center, Toronto, Canada)
2026-05-06 11:00 - 12:00 | IAB – Salle de séminaire, IAB Site Santé - Allée des Alpes, La Tronche, 38700, France
Redefining photodynamic therapy beyond local : Nanoparticle-enabled photodynamic-immune stimulation for treatment of hot and cold cancers
Résumé :
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a cancer-treatment modality that, under the appropriate treatment parameters, can induce immunogenic tumor cell death and stimulate anti-tumor immunity (photodynamic immune stimulation, PDIS). This has the potential to prime adaptive immune responses capable of targeting distant, untreated lesions, as well as eradicating primary treated tumor. The clinical impact of PDT has been limited by conventional photosensitizers, which often exhibit poor tumor selectivity and insufficient immune activation. Nanomedicine-based photosensitizer platforms offer a promising strategy to overcome such limitations. Porphysomes (PS), a class of all-organic, multifunctional porphyrin-lipid nanoparticles currently in Phase I clinical trials for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of metastatic gynecological cancers, represent one such platform.
This seminar will focus on our work investigating PS-PDIS to drive systemic anti-tumor immunity across tumor models of different immunogenicity, including immunologically “hot” colorectal (CT26) tumors and “cold” melanoma (B16F10) and ovarian (ID8) tumors. The findings establish a strategy to expand PDT beyond localized tumor ablation toward systemic disease control, including prevention of recurrence and metastasis in cold tumors typically resistant to conventional immunotherapies. The seminar will also highlight ongoing efforts to develop gold nanocluster-based platforms for both light- and radiation-mediated immune stimulation in pancreatic cancer, further expanding the scope of nanomaterial-enabled photodynamic and radiodynamic immune stimulation.
This work was supported by the Terry Fox Research Institute (PPG 1137) and the Government of Canada’s New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF) (#NFRFT-2020-00573). »
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Contact : anne-laure.bulin@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr

Adeline LACROIX (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada)
2026-05-06 11:30 - 12:30 | GIN – Amphi Serge Kampf, Grenoble Institut des Neurosciences (GIN) Bât. Edmond J. Safra, Chemin Fortune Ferrini CHU, La Tronche, 38700, France
Towards an Understanding of Sex Differences in Socio-Emotional Processing in Autism
Résumé :
Autism is characterized by persistent difficulties in social interaction and social cognition. These difficulties are partly related to atypical processing of socio-emotional signals, including emotional facial expressions. Although core autistic characteristics are observed in both males and females, increasing evidence suggests that autistic females often show a more subtle socio-emotional profile, marked by greater attention to social stimuli and more typical-appearing social behavior. However, this profile remains insufficiently characterized, and the underlying neurobiological mechanisms are still poorly understood.

Given the central role of face processing in social cognition, we conducted a series of behavioral and EEG studies to investigate sex differences in autism during face processing at different stages of attentional processing. Our results reveal sex-related differences in autism from early stages of face processing, with autistic females showing an intermediate profile between autistic males and non-autistic females. Together, these findings indicate that aggregating males and females may obscure meaningful neurocognitive differences in socio-emotional processing and highlight the need for sex-informed experimental designs and theoretical frameworks in autism research. They further suggest that early differences in socio-emotional processing may contribute to the subtler phenotypic presentation of autism in females.
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Contact : michael.pereira@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr

Young Keun KIM (Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea University)
2026-05-07 10:30 - 11:30 | CEA – Salle de Séminaire IRIG (1005 – 445), Laboratoire Irig/Spintec, salle de séminaire 445, bâtiment 1005, CEA-Grenoble, Grenoble
3D Chiral Spintronics: Spin-Selective Transport through Chiral Magnetic Nanohelices
Résumé :

Chiral crystals with well-defined handedness in atomic arrangements exhibit intriguing properties such as spin selectivity, asymmetric magnetoresistance, and skyrmions. Although similar geometry-induced phenomena have been observed in chiral organic-molecule-based systems, synthesizing uniform inorganic nanostructures with desired chirality using a scalable method remains challenging. We electrochemically synthesized 3D chiral ferromagnetic cobalt-iron nanohelices from nanoparticles in anodized aluminum oxide templates. The spiral directions and the number of strands were regulated by incorporating chiral molecules and applying an appropriate potential. We demonstrate the observation of Faraday’s law of induction at the nanoscale and how chiral nanohelices regulate the direction of electron flow. The implications of our findings extend to the technological realm, particularly in the context of charity and ferromagnetism-based spin-tunable devices.
Reference :
Y. S. Jeon et al., Science 389. 1031-1036 (2025).
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More information :https://www.spintec.fr/seminar-3d-chiral-spintronics-spin-selective-transport-through-chiral-magnetic-nanohelices/​​
​
Visioconference : https://univ-grenoble-alpes-fr.zoom.us/j/98769867024?pwd=[REDACTED]​​​

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Accès : access to CEA require​s an entry au​thorization. Request it before avril 29​th​ : admin.spintec@cea.fr​

Pierre GARCIA (LCB, Marseille)
2026-05-07 13:00 - 14:00 | IMAG – Salle de Réunion, 150 place du Torrent, St Martin d’Hères, 38400, France
When life plays LEGOs : Ancient evolution and extreme diversity of homologous oxidoreductases involved in energy production
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Contact : lucie.lamothe@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr

Amaury PATIN (Expert in Organic Chemistry, Nestlé Institute of Food Safety & Analytical Sciences (NIFSAS), Lausanne, Suisse)
2026-05-07 14:00 - 15:00 | DCM – Salle C209, DCM - Bât Chimie Recherche 301 rue de la Chimie, St Martin d'Hères, 38400, France
The Journey of an Organic Chemist : What Organic Chemistry trains you for— From Drug Discovery toFood (Safety)
Résumé :
Organic chemistry plays a central but often under-recognized role in addressing complex industrial challenges that extend well beyond molecule synthesis. In this seminar, I will describe how training in organic chemistry can be leveraged across multiple industrial domains, based on my career spanning academia, biotech, and industrial research within a multinational food company.
The talk presents a personal career journey illustrating the diversity of opportunities available to organic chemists. Starting from doctoral and postdoctoral research in organic chemistry, I moved into medicinal chemistry within a biotech startup before joining Nestlé Research, where organic chemistry became a central tool for addressing challenges in ingredient innovation and food safety.
Through selected case studies, I will show how the same fundamental chemical concepts — reactivity, molecular structure, metabolism — can be applied in very different contexts, from drug discovery to food safety. The seminar will also address the evolution from hands-on scientist to project manager and group leader, highlighting the importance of soft skills such as communication, interdisciplinarity, and leadership.
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Contact : sandrine.py@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr

Takahiro ONIMARU (Hiroshima University)
2026-05-07 14:00 - 15:00 | CNRS – Salle Rémy Lemaire (K223), CNRS - Institut Néel 25 avenue des Martyrs, Grenoble, 38042, France
Multipolar Phase Transition of a Non-Kramers Doublet in 4f2 Face-Centered Cubic Lattice Compounds
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Contact : elsa.lhotel@neel.cnrs.fr

Bo PENG (Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge)
2026-05-11 14:00 - 15:00 | CNRS – Salle Louis Weil (E424), CNRS - Institut Néel 25 avenue des Martyrs, Grenoble, 38042, France
Designing molecular quantum materials from first principles
Résumé :
Quantum materials provide the basic building blocks for quantum hardware, but it remains challenging to design robust, tuneable and scalable material platforms. In this talk, I will present strategies for engineering quantum materials based on molecular building blocks using first principles calculations. Molecules provide more tuneable building blocks than atoms [1,2], which can self-assemble into larger structures [3,4] with richer structural behaviours [5] for practical quantum devices. Using pure-carbon fullerene molecules that were believed to be non-magnetic [6], we show that magnetism in this material family can be induced purely by symmetry [7]. We can then use this pure-carbon magnetic material to design various quantum platforms, based on experimentally synthesised monolayers [8,9], to realise exotic quantum phenomena such as ferromagnetic Chern insulators [10], antiferromagnetic spin chain [11], altermagnetism and quantum spin liquid [12], as well as magnetoelectrics where spins can be controlled by electric fields. If time allows, I will also discuss my ongoing research that combines both atomic and molecular building blocks. With this approach, we can unlock even more exciting applications such as portable quantum timekeeping, robust quantum sensing, and programmable quantum simulations.

References:
[1] BP*. Journal of the American Chemical Society 144, 19921 (2022).
[2] J. Wu & BP*. Journal of the American Chemical Society 147, 1749 (2025).
[3] BP*. Nano Letters 23, 652 (2023).
[4] BP* & M. Pizzochero*. ACS Nano 19, 29637 (2025).
[5] A. Shaikh, J. Wu & BP*. Physical Review Letters 135, 126103 (2025).
[6] T. L. Makarova, et al. Nature 413, 716 (2001) [Retracted].
[7] J. Wu, L. W. Pingen, T. K. Dickens & BP*. arXiv:2508.18125.
[8] L. Hou, et al. Nature 606, 507 (2022).
[9] E. Meirzadeh, et al. Nature 613, 71 (2023).
[10] L. W. Pingen, J. Wu & BP*. arXiv:2508.19849. [Physical Review Letters, in revision]
[11] BP* & M. Pizzochero*. arXiv:2508.18849. [Nano Letters, in press]
[12] J. Wu, A. Sanders, R. Yuan & BP*. arXiv:2508.21056.

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Contact : andrew.fefferman@neel.cnrs.fr

Arnaud CLAUDEL (CNRS - Institut Néel)
2026-05-19 14:00 - 15:00 | LMGP – salle des séminaires, Grenoble INP -Phelma 3 parvis Louis Néel, Grenoble, 38054, France
Growth of graphene by CVD and transfer on various substrates
Résumé :
Graphene is a monolayer of sp² carbon atoms which forms a stable, continuous and gas-impermeable membrane. It also exhibits several exceptional properties (electrical conductivity, optical transparency, …), making it a candidate of interest for various research topics and applications (transparent electrodes, detection of chemical or biochemical compounds, …). Since its discovery in 2004, graphene has paved the way for two-dimensional (2D) materials, which are currently the subject of extensive research. For over 15 years, Institut Néel has been developing and optimising processes for the growth of graphene by chemical vapour deposition (CVD) as well as for transferring these layers onto foreign substrates for a wide range of fundamental and applied research projects. Graphene growth process by CVD and the different forms of graphene (monolayers, multilayers, single crystals, …) will be described. Graphene transfer onto different types of materials will be presented in the frame of various research projects.
Short Bio/CV
Arnaud CLAUDEL has a MSc (2006) and PhD (2009) in materials science and engineering from Grenoble INP. With 20 years of R&D experience in materials science, he has been previously R&D project manager in both a company (ACERDE SAS – 2006-2012) and research institutes (CEA-LITEN – 2012-2013, LMGP – 2014-2015) within fundamental and applicative research projects with academic and industrial partners. Since 2016, he is CNRS research engineer and since 2021, manager of the Epitaxial and thin layers (EpiCM) technological group at Institut Néel. His research activities are dedicated to processes for growing epitaxial and thin layers and are mainly focused on the growth and transfer of graphene layers since 2019.
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Contact : deborah.verger@grenoble-inp.fr

Perrine BOUCHEIX & Marc PADILLA (Service : Unité de coordination de don d'organes)
2026-05-21 08:00 - 09:00 | CHU – Salle Gilbert Faure, CHU Grenoble Alpes Pavillon Vercors (côté Belledonne), La Tronche, 38043, France
Don d’organes : tous concernés !
Contact : sante-communication@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr
