iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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Carsten Schulte @carstenschulte4.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

New PhD opportunity in my lab📣! The PhD studentship* will be embedded in a broader project looking at glioblastoma from a mechanobiological angle, funded by a recently granted Springboard award from the @acmedsci.bsky.social 🙏. *only home student fees covered 👉 www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

findaphd.com

Leveraging mechanobiology for the dissection of stem-like properties and therapeutic resistance potential in glioblastoma cells at University of Strathclyde on FindAPhD.com

PhD Project - Leveraging mechanobiology for the dissection of stem-like properties and therapeutic resistance potential in glioblastoma cells at University of Strathclyde, listed on FindAPhD.com

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Carmelo Ferrai @carmeloferrai.bsky.social · 14/02/2026

Tread -1- EpiSci - I am very proud to share with you our new study that you can access on @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social (see link below) "The Interaction with Nanotopographical Environment regulates nuclear mechanoresponse in mESCs via Histone Demethylase KDM3A. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

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Centre for the Cellular Microenvironment @theglasgowcemi.bsky.social · 16/02/2026

Great work, with involvement of CeMi member @carstenschulte4.bsky.social, providing new insights on what is happening during nuclear mechanotransduction in stem cells:

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Carsten Schulte @carstenschulte4.bsky.social · 14/02/2026

It finally happened. I'm beyond happy to see this work with @carmeloferrai.bsky.social is out now. This collaboration to study the link between mechanotransduction and epigenetic regulation started quite a while ago. It is kind of a miracle that we eventually got to this point against all odds.

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Mark Peifer (He, him) @peiferlabunc.bsky.social · 15/02/2026

The bumpy road leads to the nucleus--cool new mechanobiology!

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🦋 Gourdon Lab 🦠🔬 @delphe.bsky.social · 23/10/2025

🚀Huge congrats to @NadiaSoulioti.bsky.social on passing her PhD viva yesterday! I’m so proud of you! 🥳🎉 🧪Thanks to the exam panel: Andrew Hoy (UNSW Sydney, external), @MarcoCantini.bsky.social (internal), and Catherine Berry (convener) from @uofglasgow.bsky.social @theglasgowcemi.bsky.social

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Carsten Schulte @carstenschulte4.bsky.social · 01/10/2025

Glasgow representation is strong @cellmech2025.bsky.social with @unistrathclyde.bsky.social & @uofglasgow.bsky.social @theglasgowcemi.bsky.social cell mechanobiologists united 😊!

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Carsten Schulte @carstenschulte4.bsky.social · 22/09/2025

The core team of the Tenovus Scotland-funded Small Pilot Grant project "Leveraging mechanobiology for the optimisation of in vitro muscle-related disease models" is on the case😊, with a strong 4th&5th year students-driven component! @unistrathclyde.bsky.social @theglasgowcemi.bsky.social

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PRISM-LT @prism-livingtissues.eu · 15/09/2025

Alexandre, from @theglasgowcemi.bsky.social, will share how our team is developing “symbiotic engineered living materials” — 3D constructs where genetically engineered helper cells detect metabolic cues from mesenchymal stem cells and respond by secreting lineage-specific growth factors.

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Carsten Schulte @carstenschulte4.bsky.social · 10/09/2025

We are very happy 😄 that our Rheinland-Pfalz & Scotland exchange project started, jointly awarded by @sulsa.bsky.social and JGU Scotland Hub, sponsored by the governments of 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 & Rheinland-Pfalz. 1/2 @unistrathclyde.bsky.social @theglasgowcemi.bsky.social @imbmainz.bsky.social @unimainz.bsky.social

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University of Glasgow @glasgow.ac.uk · 06/06/2025

As we mark #PrideMonth, we take this moment to celebrate LGBTQ+ identities and also reflect on the ongoing work to make our universities places where every member can thrive. Thank you to colleagues for co-authoring this powerful piece on Rainbow Office Hours ➡️ gla.ac/3Zio6uv #OneTeamUofG 🏳️‍🌈 🏳️‍⚧️

University of Glasgow illuminated in rainbow pride flag colours

Queer teachers are living proof of queer futures - created by Adrian

A group of people standing outside of the univeristy of glasgow main building

Lauren stands in front of a presentation screen, it's titled: Category is... staff and student experiences of rainbow office hours.

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Giuseppe Di Caprio @giudica.bsky.social · 24/06/2025

New review paper out! Proud to co-author with @optophysakhil.bsky.social and @gailmcconnell.bsky.social a deep dive into Fourier Ptychographic Microscopy (FPM), from physics to cutting-edge algorithms & medical imaging applications. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Fourier ptychography microscopy for digital pathology

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Carsten Schulte @carstenschulte4.bsky.social · 27/06/2025

A little more than a year that @carmeloferrai.bsky.social and I published our review "Mechanotransduction in stem cells"🤯! I'm happy that it was received well 😃! Stay tuned, more to come in this direction in a not too far future😎.

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Giuseppe Di Caprio @giudica.bsky.social · 29/05/2025

At the Center of the Cellular Microenvironment’s impact workshop. Really enjoying the space to think together about where cell engineering and mechanobiology are headed. @theglasgowcemi.bsky.social @unistrathclyde.bsky.social

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Centre for the Cellular Microenvironment @theglasgowcemi.bsky.social · 16/05/2025

A chat with Prof. Viola Vogel (Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich), whose pioneering work in mechanobiology has been key to show that proteins act as mechano-chemical switches which can be exploited in the treatment of various diseases. podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/m...

podcasts.apple.com

Making progress in mechanobiology (with Prof Viola Vogel)

Podcast Episode · The CeMi Podcast · 20/03/2025 · 23m

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Centre for the Cellular Microenvironment @theglasgowcemi.bsky.social · 16/05/2025

Congratulations to Anna Maria Kapetanaki who passed her PhD viva this week! 🎉 🥳 💓:

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Carsten Schulte @carstenschulte4.bsky.social · 06/05/2025

Thanks, I'm happy that you like it😊. Indeed, another critical component is molecular clutch force loading: bsky.app/profile/cars...

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Carsten Schulte @carstenschulte4.bsky.social · 06/05/2025

...can involve also other cell adhesion receptors (e.g., GPI-anchored, such as uPAR, or maybe syndecans, DDRs?) 2/2:

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Carsten Schulte @carstenschulte4.bsky.social · 06/05/2025

Consistently, some years later (2019), Changede et al. (Sheetz group) showed the existence of integrin nanoclusters bridges build up by activated, but unliganded, integrins. The binding to the thin matrix fibres was mediated by integrins in this case, but it's intriguing to think that this 1/2

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Carsten Schulte @carstenschulte4.bsky.social · 06/05/2025

I delved even deeper into this a few years later, further highlighting the importance of talin-mediated molecular clutch force loading in this process: 👉 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

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Carsten Schulte @carstenschulte4.bsky.social · 06/05/2025

This ligand binding-independent integrin signalling was driven by membrane tension. Indeed, the induction of this non-canonical integrin signalling was not restricted to uPAR/vitronectin interaction. This work introduced the cell membrane as a critical component of the molecular clutch.

Figure 7. uPAR/VN signalling requires cell adhesion, ECM rigidity and membrane tension
A.
uPAR‐induced signalling requires cell attachment. Cells expressing uPART54A were seeded on an anti‐uPAR monoclonal antibody (α‐uPAR) or on VNRAD (with uPA) for 30 min. For ‘off‐plate’ experiments, cells were incubated in suspension with these components. Phosphorylation of p130Cas SD is shown in percentage of the positive control, that is the same cells seeded on VNRAD in the presence of uPA (n ≥ 3, mean ± SEM). Representative blots are shown.
B.
uPAR‐induced cell spreading requires adhesion to a rigid matrix. Representative images of 293 cells expressing uPART54A plated in presence of uPA on hydrogels coated with VNRAD at different rigidity (soft: 0.7 kPa, Rigid: 40 kPa) for 30 min. Scale bar: 10 μm.
C.
Effect of plasma membrane relaxation on uPAR or integrin‐induced cell spreading. 293 cells expressing uPART54A were seeded on FN or VNRAD (with uPA) in presence of sucrose (150 mM) or deoxycholate (0.4 mM) for 30 min. Cell‐matrix contact area was quantified. Measurements represent at least 50 cells with indicated geometrical means ± 95% CI, in at least two independent experiments. The grey bars represent the range of cell area of not spread or fully spread uPART54A cells based on 95% CI on poly‐D‐lysine or on VN with uPA, respectively (Fig 2B).
D.
Increased membrane tension induces integrin‐dependent cell spreading. Cells were seeded on PDL for 30 min in presence or absence of 4B4. Where indicated, an equal volume of hypotonic buffer (H2O with 1 mM MgCl2 and 1.2 mM CaCl2) or isotonic (medium) buffer was added to increase plasma membrane tension. Cell‐matrix contact area was assayed and quantified. Measurements represent at least 50 cells with indicated geometrical means ± 95% CI, in at least two independent experiments. Representative DIC images of cells on PDL treated with isotonic or hypotonic medium are shown. Scale bar: 10 μm.

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Carsten Schulte @carstenschulte4.bsky.social · 06/05/2025

This study assessed the possibility of ligand-independent adhesion signalling by integrins, which was a quite controversial hypothesis at the time (maybe still is). We found that e.g. uPAR-mediated adhesion to vitronectin can induce integrin signalling that does not require integrin ligand binding:

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Centre for the Cellular Microenvironment @theglasgowcemi.bsky.social · 06/05/2025

Interesting 🧵on a classic mechanotransduction paper of one of our members introducing the concept of ligand binding-independent integrin signalling driven by membrane tension:

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Centre for the Cellular Microenvironment @theglasgowcemi.bsky.social · 06/05/2025

The abstract submission deadline of BioMedEng2025 @biomedgen25.bsky.social has been extended. You still have the chance to submit until the 19th of May: 👉 biomedeng.org/biomedeng25/

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Kimia Witte @kimiawitte.bsky.social · 20/04/2025

I’m one (very) lucky supervisor! open.spotify.com/episode/43O3... @theglasgowcemi.bsky.social

open.spotify.com

A peek inside the Witte group (with Lorna, George and Amy)

The CeMi Podcast · Episode

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Marco Cantini @marcocantini.bsky.social · 17/04/2025

In this work my team and co-workers demonstrated a purely mechanically regulated route for #StemCell #Chondrogenesis via engineering of the hydrogels #viscous nature. No #growthfactors needed. Conducted @uofglasgow.bsky.social @theglasgowcemi.bsky.social Funded @ukri.org

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Marco Cantini @marcocantini.bsky.social · 17/04/2025

Great to see that our work on #viscoelastic #hydrogels for #cartilage #TissueEngineering was one of the most-read papers in Advanced Healthcare Materials @mattjwalker.bsky.social @delphe.bsky.social @manlio-tassieri.bsky.social Check it out here doi.org/10.1002/adhm... 🧪

Top Viewed Article in Advanced Healthcare Materials in 2023

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Carsten Schulte @carstenschulte4.bsky.social · 15/04/2025

Maybe the opportunity of your life, become the Head of the wonderful Department of Biomedical Engineering @unistrathclyde.bsky.social in Glasgow in beautiful 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 : 👉 jobs.sciencecareers.org/job/671921/h...

jobs.sciencecareers.org

Head of Department & Professor in Biomedical Engineering - Glasgow City (GB) job with University of Strathclyde | 671921

Head of Department and Professor in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Strathclyde. Great Minds. Innovation Solutions.

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Carsten Schulte @carstenschulte4.bsky.social · 15/04/2025

Maybe the opportunity of your life, become the Head of the wonderful Department of Biomedical Engineering @unistrathclyde.bsky.social in Glasgow 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 : 👉 www.nature.com/naturecareer...

nature.com

Head of Department & Professor - Glasgow City (GB) job with University of Strathclyde | 12838774

Head of Department and Professor in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Strathclyde. Great Minds. Innovation Solutions.

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Centre for the Cellular Microenvironment @theglasgowcemi.bsky.social · 10/04/2025

Our colleagues at the Department of Biomedical Engineering of the @unistrathclyde.bsky.social are searching for a new Head of Department:

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Centre for the Cellular Microenvironment @theglasgowcemi.bsky.social · 10/04/2025

Our colleagues at the Department of Biomedical Engineering of the @unistrathclyde.bsky.social are searching for a new Head of Department:

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Centre for the Cellular Microenvironment @theglasgowcemi.bsky.social · 10/04/2025

Thanks @kimiawitte.bsky.social for organising this special event 😊! Many members of @theglasgowcemi.bsky.social had the pleasure to listen to David Weitz' talk and to discuss cool science with him afterwards.

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Carsten Schulte @carstenschulte4.bsky.social · 07/04/2025

A very useful review for everyone who wants to learn more about the importance of ECM viscoelasticity in mechanotransduction and (patho)physiology.

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Centre for the Cellular Microenvironment @theglasgowcemi.bsky.social · 01/04/2025

Fantastic opportunity in a fantastic emerging group:

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Hannah Donnelly @hannahdonnelly.bsky.social · 01/04/2025

📣Job Alert 📣 Research Technician position available (Part Time) to come and work with my lovely team at The Centre for the Celular Microenvironment @theglasgowcemi.bsky.social, at UofGlasgow. Where we are developing 3D models of lymphoid tissues - bone marrow, lymph nodes, tonsils.

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Centre for the Cellular Microenvironment @theglasgowcemi.bsky.social · 25/03/2025

Don't miss it, a great opportunity to get in touch with one of the pioneers of mechanobiology, bioengineering, soft matter physics and biophysics!

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Mathis Riehle @mornorse.bsky.social · 25/03/2025

Congratulations to the @theglasgowcemi.bsky.social social media team who have interviewed Viola Vogel on her career and recent developments in #mechanobiology podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t... 🧪 💉 🩸 🔬

podcasts.apple.com

Making progress in mechanobiology (with Prof Viola Vogel)

Podcast Episode · The CeMi Podcast · 20/03/2025 · 23m

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Carsten Schulte @carstenschulte4.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

This is really a prime example that falls into this category: 👉 bsky.app/profile/carm...

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Carsten Schulte @carstenschulte4.bsky.social · 18/03/2025

This review on mechanotransduction in neuronal cells that I wrote in 2019, together with Matteo Chighizola, Tania Dini, Cristina Lenardi, Paolo Milani and Alessandro Podesta' (all not yet on bluesky), reached 100 citations😊🎇, would have never thought it back then: 👉 link.springer.com/article/10.1...

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Centre for the Cellular Microenvironment @theglasgowcemi.bsky.social · 15/03/2025

A fun evening at Glasgow Science Centre Lates! Last night we took some activities along to the event for adults, discussing how different forces affect cell fate. That’s a wrap on British Science week for CeMi 🔬🧬🧫!

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Centre for the Cellular Microenvironment @theglasgowcemi.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

Thanks for having us Glasgow Science Centre! Another fun public engagement event 🔬🧬🧠:

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Kimia Witte @kimiawitte.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

What actually got you into science and what you do now? Me: There was no beginning, it was always science.. open.spotify.com/episode/70de... @theglasgowcemi.bsky.social

open.spotify.com

Monkey business (with Dr Kimia Witte)

The CeMi Podcast · Episode

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Carsten Schulte @carstenschulte4.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

This is indeed a beautiful review, I enjoyed reading it. Not only a lot of information on #MaterialStiffness but also #Topography 😊. Happy to see that it is cited a lot, well-deserved:

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Hao Yin @haoyin.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

Looking for #MaterialStiffness of #BasementMembrane across tissues? Excellent literature resource here😆👇 The basement membrane as a structured surface – role in vascular health and disease @claireleclech.bsky.social @jcellsci.bsky.social 2020 journals.biologists.com/jcs/article/...

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Carsten Schulte @carstenschulte4.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

If you are interested in these aspects in other cell biological contexts, have a look at my two reviews on mechanotransduction in neuronal and stem cells: 👉 link.springer.com/article/10.1... 👉 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... @carmeloferrai@bsky.social

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Centre for the Cellular Microenvironment @theglasgowcemi.bsky.social · 04/03/2025

More and more researchers find their way to bluesky, therefore we re-advertise our "Cellular Microenvironment" starter pack😊. Contact us, if you want to be added: 👉 go.bsky.app/jhvVHF

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Centre for the Cellular Microenvironment @theglasgowcemi.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

Glasgow & the Department of Biomedical Engineering @unistrathclyde.bsky.social will be the hosts of @biomedeng25.bsky.social this year (4th and 5th of September) to gather a blend of the finest bioengineers. Abstract submission is open: 👉 biomedeng.org/biomedeng25/ 👉 www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhjL...

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BioMedEng25 @biomedeng25.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

You may have seen that our abstracts are now open... but did you know that BioMedEng25 is also awarding a special prize for Inclusive Design?

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