Events

Bioengineering PDRA Seminar by Emilie Marhuenda & Subrata Mondal

Date: Tuesday 1 August 2023 12:00 - 12:30

Location: SEMS Seminar Room & MS Team

1st Talk Title: Crosstalk between cell-matrix and cell-cell signaling in cardiomyocyte mechanosensing

Emilie Marhuenda's project: Cardiomyocytes (CM) exist in a complex network to maintain appropriate heart function. They are mechanically coupled through cell-cell and cell matrix contacts in order to transduce force and coordinate the overall contraction of the heart. On one hand, CMs are connected to each other through highly specialised structures called intercalated discs (IDs), whereby the adherens junctions have been also implicated in mechanosensing and signalling. On the other hand, extracellular matrix stiffness is sensed at integrin adhesions, where it leads to different dynamics of talin stretching, depending on the stiffness of the ECM. The crosstalk between the cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesions has been highlighted in various cellular systems, but remains still elusive in cardiomyocytes. Because of the importance of mechanical sensing for the cardiomyocyte pathophysiology we wanted to investigate the adhesion crosstalk here in detail, using FRET/FLIM tension sensors combined with micro- and nanopatterning strategies. Thereby we identify stiffness dependent changes to talin interactions at the costamere, as well as a previously unknown mechanosensing complex at the adherens junction, which together regulates cardiomyocyte morphology and function.

Keywords: Intercalated discs, Focal Adhesions, Mechanobiology

2nd Talk Title: Designing ‘Artificial Chaperones’ against Alzheimer's Disease.

Subrata Mondal's project is to understand some of the fundamental biophysical events that leads to protein (namely Amyloids) aggregation associated with neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer Disease, Parkinson Disease, Diabetes type II etc. I also design and develop pharmacologically active organic materials (small molecules, polymer, nanoparticles etc.) to inhibit the process of amyloid aggregation and block the progress of such diseases. Also, Lipid nanoparticles played a major role in the immunization drive against Corona virus. The nanoparticles were used by the major pharma companies as a vector to carry mRNA. We are working on another class of lipid nanoparticles for the targeted delivery of anticancer drugs to cancer cells.

Keywords: Anticancer Drug Delivery, Biophysics of Proteins and Peptides, Spectroscopy and Microscopy, Smart Biomaterials

This seminar will be chaired by Subrata Mondal.