The interfacial geometry of the epithelium has direct mechanical effects on cancer
cells. In regions of higher tension, cancer cells acquire stem cell properties. This was
demonstrated in 3D cultures of multiples shapes using melanoma cells. @kriskilian.bsky.social
buff.ly/GYlyEBH

In this review, @gsilvani.bsky.social, Martina Stenzel, & @kriskilian.bsky.social of @nanomed-unsw.bsky.social discuss how advances in #organoids & perfusable MPS are transforming nanoparticle design & accelerating nanodrug development by enabling more predictive assessments of efficacy.

Squeezing through blood vessels helps melanoma cells survive and thrive When detached cancer cells squeeze through the tiniest blood vessels they can become prone to grow new tumours far from where they started, a blood flow simulation experiment suggests.

Featured in #UNSW press.

www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom/new...

Capillary constrictions prime cancer cell tumorigenicity through PIEZO1 - Nature Communications Cancer cells can squeeze through confined spaces and undergo nuclear deformation, leading to changes in chromatin organisation. Here, the authors show that mechanical constriction in microcapillaries ...

Interested in mechanical forces influencing phenotype plasticity? Check out our latest work, led by Giulia Silvani, where we used microfluidic models to explore #melanoma cells transiting tight spaces—constriction induced invasiveness and tumorigenicity…
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Thanks for the shout out @epimechfc.bsky.social — ♥️ micropatterning and the insights we can gain with this technique! 🤩

Head of the Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit The European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) is Europe’s flagship life sciences organisation, and one of the world’s leading research institutions. An intergovernmental organisation of 29 Member S...

EMBL Cell Biology and Biophysics department is searching for a new director. A major position to lead this field in Europe and beyond.
embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/EMBL/j...

Work needs to be tempered with play. Some of my best ideas have come from introspective mountain time. I thought I needed a new ski jacket, but alas @nanomed-unsw.bsky.social had me covered 🤩 #acn #nanomedicine #treblecone #wanaka 🇳🇿🏂❄️

Interfacial Stress Regulates Plasticity and Drug Resistance at the Breast Cancer‐Host Interface Drop-on-demand printing is used to replicate the spatial compartmentalization of the breast cancer-host interface. Hydrogel confinement affects phenotypic changes in cells at the spheroid interface t...

Hot off the press! Exploring phenotype plasticity in confined spheroids @nanomed-unsw.bsky.social

Interfacial Stress Regulates Plasticity and Drug Resistance at the Breast Cancer‐Host Interface - Soliman - Advanced Science - Wiley Online Library advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Thanks mate! Glad you like it 😃

Interested in a #postdoc on nuclear #mechanobiology? We have a fully funded position in the Confinement Mechanobiology Lab designed to help you meet your career goals while researching the rapidly growing field of cellular #confinement. Please get in touch for more info!

Decoding Hydrogel Porosity: Advancing the Structural Analysis of Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications Porosity governs transport mechanics in hydrogels, yet characterization in its native state remains challenging. This work harnesses particle tracking to uncover three-dimensional pore geometric feat...

Check out our latest paper —a new approach to pore analysis in hydrogels

Decoding Hydrogel Porosity: Advancing the Structural Analysis of Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications - Tolentino - Advanced Healthcare Materials - Wiley Online Library advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

A great first morning session yesterday to kick off our 15th International Nanomedicine Conference. We had an outstanding talk from our first plenary speaker, Chris Porter, and our keynote and invited speakers.

Day 2 of our International #Nanomedicine Conference. We kicked off with a great plenary from Kate Schroder showcasing her work on #inflammasomes. Followed by more fantastic talks. #drugdelivery #biosensors @mknanomedicine.bsky.social @kriskilian.bsky.social @yingzhu.bsky.social

Biomimetic Hydrogels from Mixed Gellan Gum and Tryptophan Zipper Self-Assembling Peptides Peptide self-assembly has been used to fabricate synthetic hydrogels that emulate many of the chemical and physical properties of natural hydrogels. However, these materials often lack stability for m...

Hot off the press!
Biomimetic Hydrogels from Mixed Gellan Gum and Tryptophan Zipper Self-Assembling Peptides | ACS Macro Letters pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

UNSW and partners to receive millions to transform regenerative medicine The University of New South Wales will be a key beneficiary of a $65 million government grant aimed at making Australia a regenerative medicine powerhouse.

Prof Kris Kilian @kriskilian.bsky.social a SMART CRC CI & co-Director of the Australian Centre for NanoMedicine, said that he hopes the SMART CRC will provide opportunities for future projects, where ideas from the lab can become real life treatments and products.

www.unsw.edu.au/news/2025/05...

Great talks in the #cancer session at #ASBTE2025 in Brisbane by Sara Romanazzo and Bram Soliman from the Lab of @kriskilian.bsky.social on 3D tissue models for cancer-associated fibroblasts and the mimicry of cancer-cell interfaces.

@asbte.bsky.social #biopolymers #hydrogels #bioprinting

I am looking forward to working with @msde.rsc.org as Associate Editor —consider submitting your latest and greatest work in molecular systems design and engineering 🧪🥼 🧫 🤩

RSC Poster: a global online poster conference #RSCPoster is a global poster conference that brings the chemistry community together online over the course of 24 hours

#RSCPoster gets underway in less than 4 hours over on LinkedIn.

For 24 hours you can see posters from hundreds of researchers across the globe on topics from all areas of chemistry.

Find out more at www.rsc.org/our-events/r...

Here we demonstrate proof of concept for spatial patterning of multiple cell types using compression and light triggers. However, the concept is general and we envision wide ranging applications from tissue engineering to soft robotics. @asbte.bsky.social @unswchemistry.bsky.social

Multi-step functionalization of hydrogels through mechano- and photo-responsive linkages Patterning soft materials with cell adhesion motifs can be used to emulate the structures found in natural tissues. While patterning in tissue is driven by cellular assembly, patterning soft materials...

We have been exploring polymer mechanochemistry to promote dynamic activities in hydrogel biomaterials.

In this new paper, we integrated 2 responsive linkages into PEG-based hydrogels, where force and light were used as triggers to change chemistry. Check it out!
pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...

Kicking off 2025 with a Coogee beach BBQ —great to hang out with these legends outside of the lab….maybe a new group meeting spot 🧐🏝️ 🥳

I know right? Check it out! Pretty interesting materials properties..:

Improving the bioactivity and mechanical properties of poly(ethylene glycol)-based hydrogels through a supramolecular support network Most synthetic hydrogels are formed through radical polymerization to yield a homogenous covalent meshwork. In contrast, natural hydrogels form through mechanisms involving both covalent assembly and ...

We developed a simple and effective way to instil some viscoelasticity, durability and bioactivity in PEG-based hydrogels, through inclusion of a self-assembling peptide network. These peptides are are an awesome additive to expand hydrogel functionality! 🤩
pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...

Stem cell mechanoadaptation. II. Microtubule stabilization and substrate compliance effects on cytoskeletal remodeling Stem cells adapt to their local mechanical environment by rearranging their cytoskeleton, which underpins the evolution of their shape and fate as well as the e

doi.org/10.1063/5.02...

Stem cell mechanoadaptation. I. Effect of microtubule stabilization and volume changing stresses on cytoskeletal remodeling Here, we report on the first part of a two-part experimental series to elucidate spatiotemporal cytoskeletal remodeling, which underpins the evolution of stem c

doi.org/10.1063/5.02...

Congrats to Dr. Vina Putra @vpmechbio.bsky.social for the publication of—not 1 but 2–of her research articles….a double header going into 2025! 🥳
Vina did a fabulous PhD between my lab and Melissa Knothe-Tate, exploring cellular mechanoadaptation

Thoughtful gift from the team. What a beautiful assortment of science images 😍 #microscopy #biomaterials #happyholidays

I really enjoyed visiting Singapore this week for #ICBME2024. The meeting at #NUS had >700 delegates from >30 countries. Honoured to give a keynote in #Mechanobiology and invited talk in #TumorEngineering, but the best bit was catching up with old friends and making new ones….oh, and chile 🦀 🤤

Wonderful time at MRS 3D Bioinspired Biomaterials symposium