Thanks Ben 😊

Thank you to all our lab members and colleagues who contributed to this research, and the funding bodies who supported our work - the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), The Hospital Research Foundation Group, @worldwidecancer.bsky.social (UK) and Australian Research Council (ARC).

In this system, the mechanosensitive ion channel PIEZO1 is the sensor of compressive stress, and we suggest that it may be a useful biomarker to predict disease outcomes.Sarah has a more detailed narrative of our findings here: bsky.app/profile/drsa...

Interestingly, the mechanism by which this occurs is written in their DNA epigenetically, meaning that they retain a memory of this history - with troubling consequences.

Here, we show that incipient breast cancers growing rapidly within the mammary duct and subjected to high levels of compressive stress, integrate this mechanical stimulus into their biochemistry to enhance their own growth.

Compressive stress–driven Piezo1 activation and Rho-ROCK mechanotransduction promote tumor progression via epigenetic mechanical memory Compressive force drives PIEZO1-RHO-ROCK mechanotransduction and establishes an epigenetic memory that promotes tumor progression.

I am delighted to be able to share that our latest paper arising from a project co-led by @drsarahboyle.bsky.social and me is now out in the world, published in AAAS Science Advances.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Compressive stress–driven Piezo1 activation and Rho-ROCK mechanotransduction promote tumor progression via epigenetic mechanical memory Compressive force drives PIEZO1-RHO-ROCK mechanotransduction and establishes an epigenetic memory that promotes tumor progression.

We are very excited to share our newest results, published in Science Advances: “Compressive stress-driven Piezo1 activation and Rho-ROCK mechanotransduction promote tumor progression via epigenetic mechanical memory”. doi.org/10.1126/scia...

Compressive stress–driven Piezo1 activation and Rho-ROCK mechanotransduction promote tumor progression via epigenetic mechanical memory Compressive force drives PIEZO1-RHO-ROCK mechanotransduction and establishes an epigenetic memory that promotes tumor progression.

dx.doi.org/10.1126/scia...

Why ‘being squeezed’ helps breast cancer cells to thrive A new study led by researchers at Adelaide University and published in Science Advances has revealed why some cancers can grow and survive in the body, while others cannot.

Why ‘being squeezed’ helps breast cancer cells to thrive

“intense physical pressure at early stages of the disease… leaves a lasting ‘mechanical memory’ in breast cancer cells, promoting aggressive behaviour after the pressure itself has been relieved.”

www.eurekalert.org/news-release...

In a study co-led by myself and Prof @tmem-samuel.bsky.social at The Centre for Cancer Biology, Adelaide University, we found breast cancer cells subjected to compression, such as experienced during tumour growth in the restricted mammary duct, are changed in ways that worsen the resulting tumours.

Meet our invited Plenary and Keynote speakers! #HunterMeetingOz
#JodiNunnari a pioneer in #mitochondrial biology, all the way from California #AltosLabs. Supported by Australia & NZ's leading #cell and #DevBio society #ANZSCDB @anzscdb.bsky.social

@drubin.bsky.social - another speaker joining us at #HunterMeetingOz from California's @ucberkeleyofficial.bsky.social #Cytoskeleton #MembraneTrafficking

#OdineCleaver joining the #HunterMeetingOz from Texas #UTSW @utswtxid.bsky.social a leader in blood vessel development and #organogenesis. #VascularBiology

@jacobhanna.bsky.social a #PluripotentStemCell & #SyntheticEmbryo expert all the way from the Weizmann #HunterMeetingOz

@judithklumperman.bsky.social joining the #HunterMeetingOz from University Medical Center #UMC Utrecht an #EM Expert in #lysosomes and #neurodegeneration

#LaiGuanNg joining the #HunterMeetingOz from #Shanghai #JiaoTongUniversity a leader in #MyeloidCell biology.

The Hunter Meeting has made it to the blue place! 🔵 If you are joining us in the beautiful #HunterValley 2-5 June 2025 - please tag us or search #HunterMeetingOz to follow along. #STEM #CellBiology #DevBio #SpatialOmics @anzscdb.bsky.social #AustralianMeeting

Our lab is seeking a postdoctoral scientist to join us to investigate modelling cancer extracellular matrix structures using nanofabrication approaches. Full details are at shorturl.at/fF4OC. Please feel free to alert anyone you know with suitable qualifications to this opportunity. Thank you!

Cancer, birth defects and AI under the health microscope in 2025 NHMRC cancer cancer research national health and medical research

Extremely happy for our team led by @tmem-samuel.bsky.social to have secured an NHMRC Ideas Grant, investigating how distinct ECM structures can influence cancer growth and metastasis.
But, more support needed for EMCR apps to foster next gen of emerging leaders. www.unisa.edu.au/media-centre...

Screenshot of a tweet from the ARC saying they’ll announce DP25 grant outcomes tomorrow (Tuesday 26 Nov).

ARC says they’ll release the Discovery Projects 2025 outcomes tomorrow.

Recently, outcomes announcements have tended to happen at/around 11am Canberra time.

My bot will pick up the announcement in RMS’s database and post immediately.

Good luck!

Excellent resource for the biological/medical sciences community on Bluesky.

Human Tumor Atlas Network (HTAN) The Human Tumor Atlas Network (HTAN) is constructing 3-dimensional atlases of the cellular, morphological, molecular, and spatial features of human cancers (and their surrounding microenvironments) ov...

Super cool for so many of us ➡️ The Human Tumor Atlas Network (HTAN) is constructing 3D atlases of the cellular, morphological, molecular, and spatial features of human #cancers (and their #microenvironments) over time 🧪

#mechanobiology #microscopy #physicsoflife

www.cancer.gov/about-nci/or...