4th international symposium on Nanoengineering for Mechanobiology (N4M). Three vibriant days to enjoy science in a picturesque environment with passionate scientists from over the world and the participation of leading companies in the field.
Following the tradition of the first three editions, the Nanoengineering for Mechanobiology symposium will be organized at the beginning of Spring 2019, from March 24th to 27th in the picturesque fishermen village of Camogli, located on the shore of the Ligurian sea, close to the city of Genova, Italy. This year EMPA Zürich and CNR Genova will partner with LENS, the European Laboratory for Non-Linear Spectroscopy of Florence to bring together scientists from all over the world, interested in sharing ideas on new and upcoming technologies and applications towards a deeper understanding of how the mechanical environment is shaping the function of cells and tissues.
The upcoming edition of the meeting is expected to host a stimulating multidisciplinary environment, with researchers belonging to different areas, from physics and engineering to biology and medicine, but sharing a common scientific interest. The main methodological focus will be posed on the application of advanced microscopy and spectroscopy approaches to follow the dynamics and measure the mechanical properties of single molecules and cells. Moreover, the scientific sessions will be flanked by a technological exhibit involving world-leading companies and high tech startups interested in presenting their solutions and services for the growing community of mechanobiology.
We suggest to have a look at the list of keynote speakers and register to the conference or, if you are still planning your next year activities, subscribe to the N4M Google Group
See you soon in Camogli!
We develop and apply high-speed atomic force microscopy (AFM and high-speed AFM) to unravel the physics behind biological systems. Our research is based on force spectroscopy approaches to determine how single molecules and living cells response to mechanical forces.
External websiteOF and his team develop and engineer new biomechatronics solutions for highly automated or high-content experimentation in the field of mechanobiology, among which the IsoStretcher, MyoRobot and the MechaMorph are some recent developments. Applying those systems to study involvement of mechanosensitive channels in cardiac tissue or axial biomechanical compliance of skeletal muscle fibres in various disease models represent some of the current research topics covered.
External websiteMichele De Luca has dedicated most of his scientific activities to translational medicine. He is recognised as leading scientist in human squamous epithelial stem cell biology aimed at the development of epithelial stem cell-mediated cell therapy and gene therapy.
External websiteThe goal of the Citi laboratory is to understand at the molecular level how the apical junctional complex of vertebrate epithelial cells controls epithelial function, morphogenesis, differentiation and proliferation.
External websiteResearch interests: Mechano-electric coupling in the cardio-vascular system, Hetero-cellular cross-talk and roles of non-excitable cells in cardiac biophysics, Integrated wet-and-dry studies of cardio-vascular structure and function, Method development, imaging, auto-regulation.
External websiteProfessor Mazza's research deals with experimental continuum mechanics, applied for the solution of challenging problems in engineering and medicine. Novel experimental techniques are developed for the multiscale characterization of the mechanical reponse of structures and materials.
External websiteMy research focus is on the mechanical and dynamic properties of lipids and proteins involved in membrane traffic. Specifically, how do these properties produce efficient membrane deformation, lipid and protein sorting within traffic intermediates, and fission of separating membranes?
External websiteMaterial-based strategies to engineer tissue repair and regeneration, and to understand pathological conditions such as cancer. His multidisciplinary group designs microenvironments to simulate the complex spatio-temporal cues of the extracellular matrix, including viscoelastic substrates and 3D protein-based hydrogels that control integrin and growth factor receptor signalling.
External websiteWe are taking an interdisciplinary approach to investigate how cellular forces, local cell and tissue compliance and cellular mechanosensitivity contribute to CNS development and disease. Methods we are exploiting include atomic force microscopy, traction force microscopy, custom-built simple and complex compliant cell culture substrates, optical microscopy including confocal laser scanning microscopy and cell biological techniques.
External websiteThe newly formed Cox Lab is focused on the molecular workings of mechanically-gated ion channels. In particular how they are regulated by the lipid environment and structural scaffold proteins. This includes trying to understand the bidirectional flow of information between these channels and the cytoskeleton and their downstream signaling effectors.
External websiteMaterial characterization and surface analysis with focus on X-ray techniques; material in medical technology, aging of microsystems, microelectronics and sensors; coating technologies. Currently Member of Empa's Board of Directors, Head of Department "Materials meet Life", Head of Research Focus Area "Health and Performance", Titular Professor at the University of Bern (Biomedical Engineering)
External websiteOrganizing committee
Introduction and welcome
Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Italy
Epithelial stem cells in cell and gene therapy
University of Patras
Tissue morphogenesis and mechanoepigenetics
EMPA, Biointerfaces, St. Gallen, Switzerland
Designing the 3D cellular environment by the use of light
Université de Aix-Marseille, France
Molecular to cellular mechanics probed by atomic force microscopy
Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Heidelberg and Interdisciplinary Centre for Clinical Reserach, RWTH Aachen University, Germany
Collective cell migration: intercellular forces coordination by integrin α5β1
University of Glasgow, UK
Synergistic integrin-growth factor microenvironments to bioengineer the bone marrow niche in vitro
Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney, Australia
Mechanosensitive Piezo channels: bidirectional feedback with lipids and the cytoskeleton
CNRS-LTM, Grenoble, France
Primary brain cells responses to multi-rigidities substrates
NEST, Istituto Nanoscienze-CNR and Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
Surface-Acoustic-Wave (SAW)-Driven Device for Dynamic Cell Cultures
ETH Zürich, Switzerland
Biomechanics and mechanobiology of soft collagenous tissue: some novel insights from multiscale mechanical experiments
ETH Zurich, Switzerland
Individual and collective cell response to gradients of topographic noise
EMPA, St-Gallen Switzerland
Understanding and Tailoring Structural and Mechanical Properties of Electrospun Fibers
University of Glasgow, UK
Engineering the cellular microenvironment with biomaterials: mechanics, growth factors and beyond
Università degli Studi di Milano, Italty
Modulation of cellular mechanobiological processes and behaviour through nanoengineered topographical cues fabricated by cluster-assembling
LIST Luxembourg
The role of nano-engineering in Bio-Field effect transistors
Université de Genève, Switzerland
Molecular mechanisms of mechanostranduction at apical cell-cell junctions
LENS and University of Firenze, Italy
Dissecting mechanosensitivity of a single Myosin-5B motor and implications on its collective behaviour
CIRB, Collège de France, Paris, France
Active fluctuations modulates gene expression in mouse oocytes
University of Cambridge, UK
The mechanical regulation of neuronal growth and regeneration
Mad City Labs GmbH
Modular Microscopy Systems for Single Molecule Imaging
CNR-IOM, Perugi, Italy
Correlative μ-Brillouin and μ-Raman spectroscopy: emerging tool for simultaneous mechanical and chemical analysis of cells and tissues
Lumicks, Amsterdam, The Netherland
Measuring T cell avidity and enrichment using acoustic force-based technology
Universitäts-Herzzentrum Freiburg, Germany
Cardiac Mechano-Sensitivity: from Pipette to Patient
INO-CNR and LENS, Firenze, Italy
Advanced morpho-functional analysis on ventricular and atrial tissue reveals sarcomere energetic impairment in HCM patients
LENS and University of Firenze, Italy
The biological value of LCE: from cell scaffolds to artificial muscles
Université de Genève, Switzerland
Buckling of epithelium growing under spherical confinement
CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, Paris, France
Mechanotransduction: from cell surface to nucleus
University of Geneva, Switzerland
Mimicking tubular environments to study epithelial sensing to curvature
EMPA, Zürich, Switzerland
Bioimaging: how x-ray techniques are able support precision medicine
LIST Luxembourg
Engineering High-resolution, Large Area Nanotopographies for Tissue engineering
BIOTEC, TU Dresden, Germany
Optical diffraction tomography for mass density measurements of biological samples
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany
Pulling the strings - novel biomechatronics feeds for biomechanical studies in cardiac and skeletal muscle
University of Padova, Italy
Greasy links between actomyosin contractility and cell metabolism
Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherland and Istituto Nanoscienze CNR, Pisa, Italy)
Study of neuronal migration and guidance in UBE3A-related neurodevelopmental disorders by nano-engineered platforms
For the 2019 edition of the symposium, we are partnering with Springer to provide access to a Special Issue of Biophysical Reviews (see below) dedicated to "Nanoengineering for Mechanobiology". The special issue will be edited by Boris Martinac (lead editor), Aldo Ferrari, Marco Capitanio and Massimo Vassalli. Submission to the special issue is already open and interested authors are kindly invited to contact the organizing committee at n4m@mechanobiology.eu to indicate their availability.
The special issue will cover the broad topic around the conference, "Nanoengineering for Mechanobiology". Contributions are expected in the following form:
LONG REVIEWS (10,000 words + references)
SHORT REVIEWS (4000 words + refs)
LETTERS -TO-EDITOR (about 1000 words)
The final submission deadline is set to July 3rd 2019. Feel free to contact us for any query or to discuss your proposed contribution.
Biophysical Reviews publishes critical and timely reviews from key figures in the field of biophysics. Biophysical Reviews covers the entire field of biophysics, generally defined as the science of describing and defining biological phenomenon using the concepts and the techniques of physics. This includes but is not limited by such areas as bioinformatics, biophysical methods and instrumentation, medical biophysics, biosystems, cell biophysics and organisation, macromolecules: dynamics, structures and interactions, and membrane biophysics, channels and transportation.
Biophysical Reviews mainly targets basic research scientist, but as a number of reviews also have a strong link to medicine, the material is also likely to be of relevant to clinicians with an interest in the biophysical basis of diseases, treatments and interventions. Students of biophysics and the biomedical sciences will also find the reviews useful as they present in depth analyses of important topics.
The Nanoengineering for Mechanobiology symposium is organized in Camogli, a nice fishermen village near Genova, with the aim to bring together for three days junior and senior scientists passionate for the field of Mechanobiology. To enhance the interaction among the attendees, the core activities of the conference are organized inside the Hotel Cenobio dei Dogi which is also the accommodation for the participants.
The first round of registration to the symposium has closed and oral contributions have been assigned. The registration is still open for attendees interested in presenting a poster or simply participating to the conference till February 24th (or earlier if the max capacity of the meeting is reached).
The conference registration pack includes:
Participation fees are set to 230€, including all the above listed items.
Regarding accommodation, the N4M organization agreed a special price of 90€/night in single room or 70€/night/person in double room at the conference hotel. During registration you might opt for a full pack including conference fees and hotel accommodation.
Privacy note: your data will be collected for the sole purpose of the registration and participation to the N4M meeting. Your name, email and data will be shared only with the participants and the service providers involved in the management of the conference, and for the specific need. All data will be deleted after the end of the conference and your email will be included in the N4M Google Group to get future info on the conference (with possibility to unsubscribe at any moment).
Via Nicolò Cuneo, 34
16032 Camogli Genova, Italy
cenobio.it
The Camogli S.Fruttuoso station is 2 minutes walk from the Hotel and directly connected to the national railway network. Find timetables and connections at the Trenitalia website
Have a look at the directions provided by the Hotel or follow any navigation system. The Hotel Cenobio dei Dogi provides free parking for all attendees staying at the Hotel.
The nearest airport is Genova Cristoforo Colombo, which is internationally connected to Paris (Air France), Munich (Lufthansa), London (Ryanair and BA), Barcelona (Flyvalan), Bruxelles (Flyvalan), Amsterdam (KLM), Zurich (Flyvalan) and nationally to the international hub Fiumicino in Rome. The airport is connected via a shuttle service to the Genova Brignole train station (volabus, check the timetable) where a train to Camogli departs every half an hour (timetable and tickets).