Benoit combines electrophysiology and single-cell RNA sequencing to investigate how the nervous system influences cell state plasticity and function within in vitro tumor models.

Originally from a small village in the French Alps, Benoit pursued his engineering studies at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland. He earned a bachelor’s degree in microengineering and a master’s in micro and nano-systems, with a minor in biomedical technologies. He completed his master’s thesis at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

During his PhD in Prof. Philippe Renaud’s lab at EPFL, Benoit developed innovative biosensors to monitor cell electrical activity and accelerate progress in electrophysiology.

In 2020, he joined the Nano Cybernetic Biotrek research group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a Swiss National Science Foundation postdoctoral fellow. There, he invented a novel type of photonic device for probing bioelectrical potentials wirelessly and explored creative approaches based on freestanding microdevices to translate bioelectronics to 3D cellular models.

In the Shalek lab, Benoit is dedicated to applying his engineering and electrophysiology expertise while acquiring new biological knowledge and methods to investigate interactions between cancer and the nervous system. His goal is to develop his long-term scientific vision further and ensure its positive impact on society.