News

“Cell scientist to watch – Pere Roca-Cusachs”

IBEC group leader Pere Roca-Cusachs is the Journal of Cell Science’s ‘cell scientist to watch’ in its current edition.

In an in-depth interview, Pere tells writer Manuel Breuer about his challenges and successes during his research in mechanobiology, his early years as a new scientist and more recently when setting up his own group, about attaining a good work-life balance – and how his life nearly turned out very differently when he was considering stand-up comedy as a career. Read the interview here.

Read more on the IBEC website

Introducing mechanochemistry

Introducing mechanochemistry

King’s College London Prof. Sergi Garcia-Manyes has been featured in Chemistry World, on its latest article on mechanochemistry, “Introducing mechanochemistry”. In the article, Garcia-Manyes explains how they induce chemical reactions by applying forces with an AFM on single chemical bonds in a molecule. This reaction can trigger the assembly of several molecules into a protein and its folding without the use of enzymes.

 

  

Read the complete article written by Nina Notman at the Chemistry World website.

Nature Physics’ ‘Insight’ issue features IBEC/Crick article

Nature Physics’ ‘Insight’ issue features IBEC/Crick article

 Xavier Trepat is one of six featured in Nature Physics’ latest ‘Insight’ issue, ‘The Physics of Living Systems’, in which all the articles have been co-authored by a physicist and a biologist.

Penned together with collaborator Erik Sahai from London’s Francis Crick Institute, Xavier’s article, ‘Mesoscale physical principles of collective cell organization’, reviews recent evidence showing that cell and tissue dynamics are governed by mesoscale physical principles – force, density, shape, adhesion and self-propulsion.

The work described in the review forms part of MECHANOCONTROL project.

Read more on the IBEC website

 

 

Increased hydrogel stability for immuno(histo)chemistry after culture

The crosslinking approach. First the fibrous gel is formed, then the crosslinks are formed selectively in the bundles. Source: Noviocell

Noviogel hydrogels can be crosslinked after cell or organoid culture without loss of the reversible thermosensitive property during culture

Because of the reversible thermosensitive behavior of Noviogel, some researchers experience difficulties in using the hydrogel for immune staining. By using a crosslinker after culture, the properties of Noviogel are still intact like ease of use in cell passaging and retrieval of cells for other downstream applications. The solution was reported in this latest Nature Communication paper of the group of Paul Kouwe.

 

 

   Read it on the NOVIOCELL website.

Mind the Byte takes the stage during Pint of Science 2018 Festival

Mind the Byte takes the stage during Pint of Science 2018 Festival

Read more on the Pint of Science website: here and here.

 
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Member of Mechanocontrol consortium Xavier Trepat elected member of EMBO

 
IBEC group leader and member of Mechanocontrol consortium Xavier Trepat has been elected as a Member of EMBO, the European Molecular Biology Organisation.

EMBO’s members are 1,800 leading researchers that promotes excellence in the life sciences, and new ones are elected annually in recognition of their contributions to scientific excellence. Of the 62 researchers from 24 countries to receive membership this year, Xavier is one of the only two researchers in Spain.

The Integrative Cell and Tissue Dynamics group leader is IBEC’s first full EMBO Member, and one of just 79 based in Spain. In 2016 IBEC group leader Pere Roca-Cusachs was accepted into the EMBO Young Investigator Programme.

 

Read more on the IBEC website

5 Criteria to create the ideal 3D cell culture model

Today we echo an interesting post by Noviocell which summarizes the key factors to best re create the cell environment with a cell culture model.

3D culture in naturally derived hydrogels such as Matrigel or collagen matrices has shown to drive cellular self-organization and complex morphogenetic processes to result in sophisticated in vitro models. However, current methods mostly rely on natural derived materials that fail to enable fine and controlled manipulation of matrix parameters and culture conditions.

How do we create the ideal 3D cell culture model?

   Read it on the NOVIOCELL website.

Mechanobiology made easy

Mechanobiology made easy

During this month, at IBEC we had several workshops on mechanobiology. With Escola Roig Tessàlia, on 7th March, our students Ariadna and Macià (from Xavier Trepat’s group) have explored how cells exert forces and the students have measured them and created a cell membrane model. Later, on the 14th, escola Nazaret also visited us and this time the workshop was imparted by Xarxa (from Pere Roca-Cusachs’ group) and Ariadna.

 

Read more on the IBEC Divulga blog

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Mind the Byte wins 2018 Biosuccess Award

Yesterday, CataloniaBio & HealthTech awarded the 2018 Biosuccess Award recognising the most important business milestones in biomedicine and health in Catalonia to Anaconda Biomed and Mind the Byte. The ceremony took place during the CataloniaBio & HealthTech Gala Dinner at the Museu Marítim of Barcelona, featuring president of CataloniaBio & HealthTech, Jaume Amat; CEO of ACCIÓ, Joan Romero; director general for Research and Innovation in Health, Albert Barberà; and over 200 entrepreneurs, executives and investors from the sector.

 

 

Read more on the Mind the Byte website