Molecular Biomechanics HITS

18/04/2016

We are VERY happy to announce that Christopher Zapp joined us as a PhD student. He is going to work on mechanics of collagen fibers.

03/03/2016

Our alumni Agnieszka Bronowska is now a Lecturer at the School of Chemistry, Newcastle University. Check out her profile page
http://www.ncl.ac.uk/chemistry/staff/profile/agnieszka.bronowska

I am currently a Lecturer in Computational Medicinal Chemistry in the School of Chemistry, Newcastle University. My research interests revolve around thermodynamics-based drug design as a strategy to inhibit ligand-protein, protein-protein, and macromolecule-surface interactions. I am particularly…

04/12/2015

We have a new MBM member! Welcome Vedran!
Vedran Miletić has obtained a PhD in Computer Science and will be working on implementing new features in GROMACS.
http://www.h-its.org/mbm-news/welcome-vedran/

A warm welcome to Vedran Miletić that just joined the MBM group as a postdoctoral fellow from Croatia. Verdan has previously worked in the Biomolecular Structure and Function Laboratory of Dr. Zeljko Svedruzic at University of Rijeka where he has obtained a PhD in Computer Science. He has a strong i…

10/11/2015

Why do astronauts suffer from bone loss? Astronauts loose bone mass because of the low gravity in space. Bones need mechanical stimulation for regeneration and growth. But how does bone tissue sense mechanical forces? Stem cell differentiation into bone tissue is complex. Several possible candidates have been suggested to work as force sensors in bone stem cells, all of which are proteins. But their interplay at molecular scale has remained elusive. Jing and Camilo’s paper is out in which they suggest Focal Adhesion Kinase as a new player in this game. Their simulations together with analytical models from Sebastian Sturm and Jacob Bullerjhan suggest this kinase to act as a mechanical sensor in bone and other tissues. The protein switches its cellular activity on only when being subjected to a pulling force.
http://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.1004593

27/10/2015

Welcome Csaba!
Csaba will investigate the effect of force on the molecular components of epithelial junctions.

11/10/2015

Check out Davide's and Frauke's new Cell paper!
http://www.cell.com/cell/abstract/S0092-8674(15)01264-7

16/09/2015

http://www.h-its.org/mbm-news/lectures-and-hands-on-sessions-in-computational-biophysics/

Starting from the 14 October 2015 Prof. Frauke Gräter and Prof. Rebecca Wade will carry out lectures about Molecular Biophysics, its principles, applications, potential and importance in nowadays research! The Lectures will be targeted for advanced Bachelor and Master students and will be complement…

01/06/2015

We are looking for a new colleague at MBM group
http://www.h-its.org/en-jobs/phd-or-postdoc-position-mbm-group-hits-05-2015e/

20/05/2015

Mini-symposium on “Silk mechanics” @ ECSM, Madrid
http://www.h-its.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/MechanicsOfSilk_Abstract.pdf

19/05/2015

Jing got her PhD!!! Congratulations Dr. Zhou! http://www.h-its.org/en-mbm/dr-zhou

19/05/2015

New paper about how von Willebrand factor is auto-inhibited for platelet binding and how this inhibition is released by mechanical force
www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006349515003021

Blockage of the GPIbα binding site in the VWF revealed by MD simulations of the VWF A1 and A2 domains. (A) Scheme illustrating the human VWF-A1A2 fragment (residues 1269 to 1670). The A1 and A2 domains are connected by a 30 residue linker (yellow). GPIbα anchors platelets to VWF by binding to the A1…

25/02/2015

Check out interesting paper about oxidative stress:
http://www.nature.com/nchembio/journal/v11/n2/full/nchembio.1720.html