Laura Rustarazo-Calvo @laura-rustarazo.bsky.social · 26/06/2026Thank you @zebrafishrock.bsky.social ! 😊 010
Laura Rustarazo-Calvo @laura-rustarazo.bsky.social · 25/06/2026Happy to share that I successfully defended my PhD thesis! 🎉 My time at @embl.org has been full of learning, exciting science, and amazing people - I feel so fortunate for this experience. Thank you to @nicolettapetridou.bsky.social for her caring mentorship and for building such a wonderful lab. 💐 3270
Reposted by Laura Rustarazo-CalvoLena Schindler @lena-schindler.bsky.social · 23/06/2026I am thrilled to share my PhD work with @nicolettapetridou.bsky.social @embl.org: www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/... A fun collaboration with Bernat Corominas-Murtra, Adrián Aguirre-Tamaral, @bart-smeets.bsky.social , Jef Vanghel and Tom Belpaire! Read the story in the comments below ⤵️ 614239
Reposted by Laura Rustarazo-CalvoNicoletta Petridou @nicolettapetridou.bsky.social · 23/06/2026Double preprint! 👇 Check out our latest studies on timing, heterogeneity and collective behaviour (with a fun tiny bonus on evolution!) 1. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6... 2. arxiv.org/abs/2605.13234biorxiv.orgCellular timing heterogeneity regulates phase transitions in living matterRigidity transitions govern tissue organization in ways reminiscent of inert materials. Yet, living tissues are composed of active units with autonomous timing mechanisms, raising the question whether... 18631
Laura Rustarazo-Calvo @laura-rustarazo.bsky.social · 16/06/2026Our beautiful mosaic embryo made it to the cover! 🔥 0518
Laura Rustarazo-Calvo @laura-rustarazo.bsky.social · 02/06/20262️⃣ www.nature.com/articles/s41... Tissue rigidity phase transition shapes morphogen gradients 💫 led by @cami-autorino.bsky.socialnature.comTissue rigidity phase transition shapes morphogen gradients - Nature Cell BiologyAutorino et al. report a feedback loop between Nodal signalling and tissue phase transitions in zebrafish embryos. Nodal alters adhesion, triggering tissue rigidification and reduced porosity, which l... 060
Laura Rustarazo-Calvo @laura-rustarazo.bsky.social · 02/06/20261️⃣ www.nature.com/articles/s41... Adhesion-driven rigidity transition decoupled from density-driven jamming triggers epithelial organization in embryonic tissues 💫 led by @crisp-c.bsky.social, Adrián Aguirre-Tamaral, and menature.comAdhesion-driven rigidity transition decoupled from density-driven jamming triggers epithelial organization in embryonic tissues - Nature PhysicsTissue phase transitions are key to morphogenesis. Now adhesion-driven rigidification is identified as key to epithelial organization but only if uncoupled from density-driven jamming. 161
Laura Rustarazo-Calvo @laura-rustarazo.bsky.social · 02/06/2026...and here is @embl.org's press release on the two latest papers by @nicolettapetridou.bsky.social's group on how rigidity phase transitions guide 1️⃣ tissue organisation and 2️⃣ morphogen gradients in embryonic tissues. 🐟 1130
Laura Rustarazo-Calvo @laura-rustarazo.bsky.social · 02/06/2026This work represents the core of my PhD work with @nicolettapetridou.bsky.social at @embl.org and would not have been possible without my amazing colleagues + collaborators (especially my co-authors @crisp-c.bsky.social and Adrián!). Thank you also to the reviewers and everyone else who contributed. 071
Laura Rustarazo-Calvo @laura-rustarazo.bsky.social · 02/06/2026⚡ Our paper is now out in @natphys.nature.com ! This version now includes a detailed molecular characterisation of the optogenetic perturbations, new insights on the relevance of tricellular junctions for tissue morphology, and beautiful light-sheet timelapses. 🔬 www.nature.com/articles/s41...nature.comAdhesion-driven rigidity transition decoupled from density-driven jamming triggers epithelial organization in embryonic tissues - Nature PhysicsTissue phase transitions are key to morphogenesis. Now adhesion-driven rigidification is identified as key to epithelial organization but only if uncoupled from density-driven jamming. 15120
Reposted by Laura Rustarazo-CalvoCamilla Autorino @cami-autorino.bsky.social · 18/05/2026💫 Our paper is now published at @natcellbio.nature.com! So excited about this work done during my PhD at @embl.org in the group of @nicolettapetridou.bsky.social along with our great collaborators! 🐟🎉 0288
Reposted by Laura Rustarazo-CalvoNicoletta Petridou @nicolettapetridou.bsky.social · 15/05/2026Glad to see this out in its final form! www.nature.com/articles/s41... What changed since the preprint? Wonderful experiments disentangling the effect of receptor binding vs tissue porosity on Nodal diffusion, plus one of the smoothest review experiences! Thanks @natcellbio.nature.com & reviewers 🙏nature.comTissue rigidity phase transition shapes morphogen gradients - Nature Cell BiologyAutorino et al. report a feedback loop between Nodal signalling and tissue phase transitions in zebrafish embryos. Nodal alters adhesion, triggering tissue rigidification and reduced porosity, which l... 712944
Reposted by Laura Rustarazo-CalvoEMBL @embl.org · 04/05/2026EMBL graduated its biggest class ever at the end of April, celebrating with 60 fellows who submitted or defended their theses over the past 12 months. Representing 22 different countries, EMBL graduates continued to show a diversity in science as well as background. Congratulations graduates! 05510
Reposted by Laura Rustarazo-CalvoDevelopment @dev-journal.bsky.social · 20/02/2026Tissue phase transitions in development: more than just mechanics In this Review, @nicolettapetridou.bsky.social, @laura-rustarazo.bsky.social and @karengrace12.bsky.social discuss tissue phase transitions during development: doi.org/10.1242/dev.... 0244
Laura Rustarazo-Calvo @laura-rustarazo.bsky.social · 19/02/2026If you are curious how PTs integrate scales in development - from molecules to tissues, from biochemical signals to physical forces - this review is for you. 030
Laura Rustarazo-Calvo @laura-rustarazo.bsky.social · 19/02/2026Traditionally, tissue phase transitions (PTs) are seen as simple shifts in tissue deformability (fluid/solid), but recent work shows that they are dynamic processes interacting with signalling, growth, and patterning. 130
Laura Rustarazo-Calvo @laura-rustarazo.bsky.social · 19/02/2026Excited to share our new review in @dev-journal.bsky.social on tissue phase transitions during development! @karengrace12.bsky.social @nicolettapetridou.bsky.social 🔗 doi.org/10.1242/dev....doi.orgTissue phase transitions in development: more than just mechanicsSummary: Tissue material phase transitions are classically thought to regulate tissue deformability. This Review emphasises their unexpected roles in directly influencing growth and patterning signall... 27526
Reposted by Laura Rustarazo-CalvoEMBL Events @events.embl.org · 19/11/2025Abstract deadline extension alert! 🚨 You now have until 25 November to submit your abstract and be one of 22 selected short talk speakers for #EESCollectivity ➡️ s.embl.org/ees26-01-bl Explore how collective behaviours arise from fundamental principles across biological systems. 🦠🐒🧬 0115
Laura Rustarazo-Calvo @laura-rustarazo.bsky.social · 20/01/2026An unexpected topic I encountered during my PhD: tricellular junctions. I first knew them as local regulators of tissue mechanics, but over time have realised their broader impact at the tissue scale. I wrote a brief overview of this in a thread for @epimechfc.bsky.social. 0102
Reposted by Laura Rustarazo-CalvoAdrienne Roeder Lab @roederlab.bsky.social · 13/01/2026Feb 1 deadline approaching for our @kitp-ucsb.bsky.social QBio summer course on Physical Principles of Morphogenesis in Plants and Animals. @streichan.bsky.social @maurazimmermann.bsky.social @maizel-lab.org @yusuke-mori.bsky.social @akankshi.bsky.social @nicolettapetridou.bsky.social 12420
Reposted by Laura Rustarazo-CalvoEMBL DB unit @embldbunit.bsky.social · 19/12/2025What a year it's been at the DB unit @embl.org! 2025 brought us hard work, exciting discoveries, and numerous initiatives that advanced our science. As we wrap up this year, we want to wish everyone a restful and joyful winter break. We'll be back in 2026, ready for new challenges. See you then! 🎉 1236
Reposted by Laura Rustarazo-CalvoEMBL Events @events.embl.org · 11/11/2025You only have one more week to submit your abstract for 'Collectivity in living systems: emergence, function, and evolution' 👉 s.embl.org/ees26-01-bl Don't miss #EESCollectivity which will explore how collective behaviours arise from fundamental principles across biological systems🦠🐒🧬 0106
Laura Rustarazo-Calvo @laura-rustarazo.bsky.social · 11/06/2025⚡ Check out the lab's latest preprint - beautiful work by @cami-autorino.bsky.social ⚡ 060
Laura Rustarazo-Calvo @laura-rustarazo.bsky.social · 19/05/2025Join this week's VGZT seminar to explore evo-devo in eels and how rigidity transitions shape embryonic tissue organization! 🐟 052
Laura Rustarazo-Calvo @laura-rustarazo.bsky.social · 27/03/2025🔗 You can read the full story here: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1... #DevBio #Mechanobiology #Biophysicsbiorxiv.orgAdhesion-driven tissue rigidification triggers epithelial cell polarityThe active regulation of tissue material properties via phase transitions is central in morphogenesis. Transitions abruptly occur at critical points in diverse control parameters, including cell densi... 0114
Laura Rustarazo-Calvo @laura-rustarazo.bsky.social · 27/03/2025⚡️Overall, we find that the pluripotent embryo can change its morphogenetic trajectory based on the type of material state phase transitions it undergoes. ⚡️This suggests that phase transitions are not simple modulators of tissue deformability, but actively impact the tissue morphogenetic potential. 140
Laura Rustarazo-Calvo @laura-rustarazo.bsky.social · 27/03/20257/ The discretization of tissue morphologies driven by the phase transition control parameters is also reflected at the molecular level: When adhesion-driven solidification is uncoupled from jamming, tissues form lumens and acquire epithelial polarity. 120
Laura Rustarazo-Calvo @laura-rustarazo.bsky.social · 27/03/20256/ Simulations and experiments show how by uncoupling vs. coupling changes in cell density and adhesion, tissues dramatically change their morphology. This is mainly due to a porous to non-porous transition, occurring at the adhesion critical point as tricellular junctions close. 141
Laura Rustarazo-Calvo @laura-rustarazo.bsky.social · 27/03/20255/ By measuring tissue viscosity and cell contact dynamics, we find that adhesion alone determines the material state. If the critical point in adhesion is crossed, the tissue will be solid-like, independently of cell density. Then, what’s the importance of the other parameters? 160
Laura Rustarazo-Calvo @laura-rustarazo.bsky.social · 27/03/20254/ We establish #optogenetic and pharmacological tools to experimentally engineer pluripotent tissues to undergo material phase transitions using different combinations of the control parameters. How does each parameter contribute to tissue rheology? 120
Laura Rustarazo-Calvo @laura-rustarazo.bsky.social · 27/03/20253/ We study this in the pluripotent #zebrafish early embryo, where three parameters – cell adhesion, density, and connectivity – shift together during a fluidization transition, crossing their respective critical points. But can these parameters be uncoupled? 120
Laura Rustarazo-Calvo @laura-rustarazo.bsky.social · 27/03/20252/ Unlike inert materials, living tissues transition between fluid and solid states by dynamically tuning a variety of control parameters, like cell shape, adhesion and density. Does this multiplicity of control parameters matter for biological function? 110
Laura Rustarazo-Calvo @laura-rustarazo.bsky.social · 27/03/20251/ We investigate how the way that a tissue transitions from a fluid- to a solid-like material state - an essential process in development, wound healing, and disease - can impact its organization at the morphological and even molecular level. 130
Laura Rustarazo-Calvo @laura-rustarazo.bsky.social · 27/03/2025🎉 Excited to share our new work: “Adhesion-driven tissue rigidification triggers epithelial cell polarity”, now on @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social ! A huge thank you to @nicolettapetridou.bsky.social, Bernat, @crisp-c.bsky.social, Adrián, and everyone involved! 🙌 🧵⤵️ 411941
