Speaker:
Yusuke Toyama
Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore
Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore
Topics:
Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is a critical mechanism for eliminating damaged or unnecessary cells during embryonic development, tissue homeostasis, and certain pathological conditions. Our primary research focus is to elucidate the apoptotic process from a mechanical perspective. This includes investigating how apoptotic cells are mechanically expelled from their neighboring non-dying cells, how the apoptotic process generates mechanical forces that govern tissue tension and morphogenesis, and how the mechanical impact of apoptosis influences the fate of surrounding cells. In this presentation, I will discuss our current understanding of the link between apoptosis and mechanical forces. Additionally, I will highlight our latest efforts to unravel the collective behavior of immune cells in the clearance of apoptotic cells, as well as explore how senescent cells undergo apoptosis when in close proximity to non-senescent cells.
On Site:
Seminarraum B1.72
DWI – Leibniz-Institut für Interaktive Materialien
Forckenbeckstraße 50, 52074 Aachen
Host:
Jacopo Di Russo
Contact:
Speaker:
Sara A. Wickström
Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine
https://www.mpg.de/17463007/molecular-biomedicine-wickstroem
Topics:
The structure of tissues is tightly linked to their function. During formation of functional organs, large-scale changes in tissue elongation, stretching, compression, folding/buckling, and budding impact the shape, position, packing, and contractility state of cells. Conversely, changes in single cell contractility, shape and position locally alter tissue organization and mechanics. Thus, forces function as important cues that are transmitted to the nucleus to coordinate gene expression programs to control cell states. On the other hand, excessive mechanical stresses have the potential to damage cells and tissues. In my presentation I will discuss our recent research on how cells sense mechanical forces and how these mechanosignals are integrated with biochemical inputs to alter cell states in health and disease.
On Site:
Seminarraum B1.72
DWI – Leibniz-Institut für Interaktive Materialien
Forckenbeckstraße 50, 52074 Aachen
Host:
Rudolf Leube
Contact:
Topics:
Dear members of the Profile area MedST,
We would like to invite you to our joint workshop together with the Institute of Science Tokyo on "Transformative Medical Materials (TransMedMat)”. The workshop will take place on the 2nd and 3rd of december. Experts from RWTH and Tokyo will provide insight into the synergistic integration of (bio)engineered materials, high throughput technologies, biohybrid therapeutic systems and how to facilitate clinical translation.
For more information, please see the attached flyer and agenda.
If you would like to participate in the workshop please send us an email to medst@profileareas.rwth-aachen.de with the following information by friday 22nd of November:
Name
Institution
Seats are limited to due to room capacity – first come first serve rule will apply.
Kind regards,
The Organization Team.
On Site:
Seminarraum 1
Center for Biohybrid Medical Systems (CBMS)
Forckenbeckstraße 55, 52074 Aachen
Host:
Jasmin Baier, M.Sc.
Science Managerin des Profilbereichs Medical Science & Technology (MedST)
Contact:
Topics:
The event will bring together leading scientists and researchers in mechanobiology to explore the critical role of mechanical forces in life processes, including development, ageing, and disease. It will serve as a platform for the European mechanobiology community to convene, exchange insights, and shape the future direction of the field. By addressing both normal and aberrant mechanical influences, the conference will emphasize the importance of mechanics in cellular function and its impact on tissue health and disease progression. The conference is expecting 140 attendees, creating a vibrant environment for networking and collaboration.
On Site:
Institute of Physics, London UK
Organising Team:
Massimo Vassalli (University of Glasgow)
Shaima Maliha Riha (University of Glasgow)
Claire Garland (Institute of Physics)
Upcoming Website:
Speaker:
Boris Martinac
Topics:
With this ERS invites... lecture, the Exploratory Research Space (ERS) at RWTH Aachen University would like to contribute to greater awareness of specialists and nonspecialists alike about the role that mechani-cal force plays in everyday life of all living organisms from bacteria to humans.
Mechanosensory Transduction an exciting growing area of research in Biology and Medicine that earned a half of the 2021 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine, focuses on understanding how mechanical stimuli such as touch, pressure, and vibration are converted into electrical signals by the nervous system, helping to reveal the fundamental mechanisms behind how organisms perceive their physical environment.
Prof. Dr. Boris Martinac (Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute and the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia), is one of the pio- neers in the research area. In his lecture, Prof Martinac will provide an overview of the field from its early days up to the recent discoveries contributing to better understanding of mechanosensory transduction in health and disease.
The focus of his lecture is the structure and function of mechanosensi-tive channels, the protein molecules present in cell membranes of living organisms. These proteins act as primary receptors of mechanical stimuli activating numerous intracellular signaling pathways controlling cellular gene expression that allow cells to respond and adapt to environmental mechanical stimuli such as touch, sound, stretch, osmotic pressure and alike.
On Site:
Super C | Generali Saal
Templergraben 57
52062 Aachen
Registration:
Organization/Registration:
Iris Schümmer
Topics
This autumn, the MERLN Institute will celebrate its 10th anniversary. For this special occasion we are organizing an international conference to celebrate our science together with key opinion leaders in the field of regenerative medicine. This two and a half days conference will take place on the 16th, 17th, and 18th of October in Maastricht. We would like to invite you to join this conference and explore the key themes of regenerative medicine.
Meeting Description:
The main topics will be:
If you are able to follow this invitation, please let us know within the next week. We would ask that you provide us with a provisional title for your presentation at your earliest convenience. Every speaker will have 25 minutes speaking time, plus 5 minutes for questions. There is a strong preference for on-site talks.
We are currently in the process of securing funding from the DFG (German research foundation) as well as a number of sponsors. As such, we cannot yet ensure the full coverage of costs, but expect to be able to pay for your hotel accommodation and travel costs up to a certain limit. It would be our pleasure to organize hotel accommodation for you.
On site:
BBZ Leipzig/ Germany
Organizers:
Josef Käs (Leipzig University, Germany)
Ben Fabry (FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany)
Mareike Zink (Leipzig University, Germany)
Christoph Mark (FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany)
Anna Taubenberger (TU Dresden, Germany)
Jörg Schnauß (Leipzig University, Germany)
Meeting Description:
Mechanochemistry and mechanobiology are quickly advancing fields, focusing on the effects of mechanical forces on molecules and materials of both synthetic and biological origin. Fundamental research is increasingly translated into practical applications, such as self-healing and responsive materials as well as mechanodiagnostics and therapeutics. This conference bridges fundamental with applicationoriented research and encourages collaboration among scientists from various disciplines. It offers a platform for learning about the latest developments, discussing challenges and fostering innovation in this multidisciplinary area. A preceding GRS facilitates networking and knowledge exchange among young scientists in this rapidly evolving field.
On site:
Bates College, Lewiston, ME, USA
Organizers:
Chair: Kerstin G. Blank
Vice Chairs: Anna Tarakanova, Stephen Schrettl
Topics
In January 2022, the new DGZ Focus Workshop series was launched (via Zoom, every last Tuesday of the month, starting at 12 noon. Each Focus Workshop features one work group, and invited speakers range from late-stage PhD students to established PIs. In order to promote inclusion and expand the German Cell Biology network, the Focus Workshop series is currently open also to non-members. Nevertheless, we certainly hope that with these new activities we can convince the next generation of cell biologists of the many benefits of membership in our society.
Zoom:
Zoom-ID: 96178106979
Passcode: DGZ_FW
Title:
How Gut Bacteria Alter Brain: the fascinating impact of our little guests on our mind
On site:
Institut für Molekulare und Zelluläre Anatomie
Seminarraum MTI 1
RWTH-Berichter:
Prof. Dr. Marc Spehr
More:
Der Vortrag wird zusätzlich auch digital angeboten:
https://rwth.zoom-x.de/j/65948760479?pwd=c3djWGVGZ0RXNVFJdG9sSHg0RG9jdz09
Nur der Vortrag ist öffentlich, nicht die anschließende Diskussion.
Speaker:
Sarah Heilshorn
Topics:
During development and disease, a cell’s behavior is directly influenced by its surrounding microenvironment Thus, when designing patient derived organoid models,ideally each tissue type would be cultured in its own customizable biomaterial that matches the specific developmental stage or disease state found in vivo To fulfill this need, my lab designs bespoke biomaterials that can be tailored to fit a range of applications In one demonstration, I present a family of dynamic biomaterials that support the growth of patient derived pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (organoids Through control of the matrix, we find that PDAC becomes significantly more chemoresistant in response to mechanosignaling through CD 44 receptors Excitingly, this chemoresistance is reversible, with PDAC regaining sensitivity to frontline chemotherapy upon softening of the matrix In a second example, I present a new “pick and place” 3 D bioprinting strategy for the spatial positioning of neural organoids within a dynamic support matrix Using this method, we can fabricate large tissue structures composed of multiple organoids that fuse together We demonstrate potential applications in the fabrication of neural assembloids composed of dorsal and ventral patterned neural organoids together with patient derived brain cancer spheroids We envision that these two technologies will be used together in the future to create personalized tissue models of individual patients.
Organizers:
Laura De Laporte
DWI – Leibniz-Institut für Interaktive Materialien e.V
Speaker:
Medhavi Vishwakarma
Department of Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Science
Topics:
Epithelial tissues are first line of defence against pathogenic organisms and chemical agents and are
present in our body in varying architectures. Studies on homeostatic epithelial monolayers revealed physical
characteristics of epithelial cells and drew parallels with dynamic heterogeneity in non-equilibrium jammed
matter. Our understanding of mechanics of epithelium however remains incomplete, firstly, because the
characterization lack temporal analysis, and secondly, the crosstalk between physical manifestations of jamming,
and biochemical signalling remain missing. Here, using epithelia of kidney and breast origin, we study spatiotemporal
dynamics of epithelial mechanics, and relate tissue mechanics with tissue functions, such as remodelling
during wound healing (1,2), and epithelial defence against cancer (3). As expected, clustering of cellular forces
over multiple cell distances, in space correlated with clustering of biochemical force transducer actin. Interestingly,
we found local temporal oscillations with a distinct period of 10 hours, in both cell-substrate forces, as well as in
expression of actin, revealing a periodic heterogeneity in epithelia when looked at in temporal domain. We show
that these local oscillations are driven by emergent collective behaviour and are dictated by the size of the tissue.
Furthermore, using MDCK/HRasV12 competition model, we show that the local temporal oscillations within the
tissue dictate the ability of epithelia to defend itself against cancer. Using 3D breast acini cultures, and
pseudostratified lung air-liquid interface (ALI) cultures, I will also show our efforts towards studying epithelial
mechanics in tissue like architectures, and how such systems can be used- not only for deciphering the
fundamental mechanisms of cancer initiation and progression, but also to study impact of pharmaceutical agents,
biological agents, and toxins on epithelia tissues.
On site:
Seminarraum B1.72
DWI – Leibniz-Institut für Interaktive Materialien
Forckenbeckstraße 50, 52074 Aachen
Host:
Jacopo Di Russo
Contact:
Meeting Description:
Sara Wickström and Carsten Grashoff
Introduction
Srishti Rangarajan
PhD Student, University of Münster
The ‘tail’ of Talin: Mechanical adaptation during multicellular evolution
Ingo Thievessen
Research Group Leader, FAU Erlangen
Monitoring and reduction of cell damage caused by shear stress during bioprinting
Amaia Cipitria
Research Group Leader, MPI of Colloids and Interfaces Biomaterials in cancer dormancy and early metastasis
Julian Nüchel
Research Group Leader, University Cologne
Bulky enough for (a) TANGO? – Novel insights into ECM secretion
Contact:
Link:
Zoom-ID: 96178106979
Passcode: DGZ_FW
Speaker:
Andreas R. Bausch
Center for functional Protein Assemblies (CPA), Center of Organoid Systems (COS), Technical University Munich
Topics:
Living matter relies on the self-organization of its components into higher order structures, on the
molecular as well as on the cellular, organ or even organism scale. Collective motion due to active transport
processes has been shown to be a promising route for attributing fascinating order formation processes on these
different length scales. Here I will present recent results on structure formation of actively transported actin
filaments, as well as the cell migration induced structure formation in the developmental phase of organoids.
On site:
Seminarraum B1.72
DWI – Leibniz-Institut für Interaktive Materialien
Forckenbeckstraße 50, 52074 Aachen
Host:
Rudolf leube
Contact:
Topics
The Future 3D Additive Manufacturing – The 3DMM2O Conference 2023: 3D Molecular Systems was very exciting and enriching, full of fruitful scientific discussions and inspiring exchanges.
Link:
Meeting Description:
Dear Mechanobiology enthusiasts,
The website for the 2024 edition of "Nanoengineering for Mechanobiology" is finally online.
Head towards the website [https://n4m.mechanobiology.eu/2024] to look at the list of speakers and to submit an abstract to participate.
The event will take place from the 3rd to the 7th of March 2024 in the traditional location, the Hotel Cenobio dei Dogi [www.cenobio.it], which is going to be fully dedicated to N4M for the next edition.
The 2024 program will span across scales, addressing the "Mechanobiology of Molecular and Cellular Systems" along 5 scientific sessions:
Nanomechanics and mechanosensing
Cellular mechanobiology and mechanotransduction
Modelling mechanobiology
Collective cellular processes
Organoids and multicellular systems
You can have a look at the impressive list of invited speakers an get an idea of the organisation of the program for the 4 days of activity.
We are looking forward to meet you again in Camogli!
The N4M committee
On site:
Camogli, Genova, Italy
Meeting Description:
We are organizing the in-person World Wide Sodium Channel Conference from January 31st to February 2nd 2024 in Grindelwald, Switzerland. This conference covers the sodium channels from biophysics, cellular excitability, disesase relevance to clinics and is a direct continuation of our very successful series of online lectures on sodium channels in the World Wide Sodium Channel Seminar Series. To continue the highly fruitful exchange of ideas and new data, we now invite you to join the in-person discussions and submit an abstract by November 18th.exchange among young scientists in this rapidly evolving field.
On site:
Grindelwald, Switzerland
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ME3T - Mechanobiology in Epithelial 3D Tissue Constructs