Living matter, from individual cells to multicellular collectives, senses and responds to external mechanical forces. Mechanotransduction is the biological phenomenon where mechanical stresses applied to cells are translated into chemical signals that elicit adaptive responses. Complex activities, among which proliferation, migration and differentiation, are regulated by the fine communication between the cells and their surrounding environment, including the extracellular matrix and the neighboring cells. Our group is interested in how different types of mechanical stresses impact on the control of the homeostasis of human epithelial and endothelial tissues and how such regulation can vary during the process of cellular aging. Our research aims at identifying key patterns of mechanotransduction enabling the cell adaption to local physical environments, how these may change upon senescence, and whether – based on this knowledge - a rejuvenation strategy can be developed.

The laboratory of cellular biomechanics is a modern research infrastructure, combining a broad range of biological, biochemical and mechanical approaches ground on long-standing expertise.