Engineered biomaterials for regeneration and mechanobiology 

Add to your list(s) Download to your calendar using vCal

• Professor Manuel Salmeron-Sanchez, University of Glasgow
• Thursday 27 November 2025, 16:00-17:00
• JDB Seminar Room, CUED.

If you have a question about this talk, please contact div-c.

The physical properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and the use of growth factors are powerful tools to control cell behaviour, including fundamental processes such as cell migration and (stem) cell differentiation. Integrins are mechanotransductors that feel and respond towards the mechanical properties of the ECM . We have developed material systems that allow simultaneous stimulation of integrins and growth factors receptors. We have engineered polymers and 3D hydrogels that unfold and assemble proteins to allow exposure of the integrin and growth factor binding regions. For example, we show the use of BMP -2 in synergy with a5b1 integrins to promote osteogenesis and regeneration of critical-sized defects. Further, we have developed interfaces that bind latent proteins that induce integrin-mediated mechanical activation of growth factors. We will demonstrate the use of TGF -b1 that is released and activated by using engineered surfaces that organise fibrinectin to promote binding of LTBP1 and enable integrin B1 to pull on active TGFB1 . In the second part of the talk, we will use surfaces of controlled viscosity in our pathway to engineer and understand the viscoelastic properties of the ECM . We use supported lipid bilayers that are functionalised with either RGD (integrin binding) or HAVDI (cadherin binding) to demonstrate the molecular clutch is engaged on surfaces of high enough viscosity and, importantly, that it is weaken upon N-cadherin binding, controlled by the competition between vinculin and a-catenin for actin filaments. We then introduced substrates of controlled elasticity and viscosity, first in 2D using polyacrylamide hydrogels that were further patterned using fibronetcin and then in 3D using PEG -hydrogels functionalised with fibronectin. We will discuss the unexpected interplay between viscoelasticity, cell adhesion and molecular clutch engagement. We introduce Brillouin microscopy as a way to follow the evolution of the viscoelastic properties of cells and the engineered hydrogels in 3D in a non-invasive way and in real time.

Bio: Manuel Salmeron-Sanchez is Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Glasgow and ICREA Research Professor at Institut de Bioenginyeria de Catalunya (IBEC). He did a PhD in Valencia and postdoctoral training in Prague (Institute for Macromolecular Chemistry) and KU Leuven. He was visiting professor in Georgia Tech (2010) and Kyushu University (2018, 2020). He was Full Professor of Applied Physics in Valencia before relocating to Glasgow in 2013. Manuel develops advanced biomaterials for cell engineering and mechanobiology. His research includes materials that trigger the organisation of extracellular matrix proteins (Science Advances 2016); the use viscosity to control cell behaviour (PNAS 2018 & Nature Communications 2024) and interfaces that trigger the mechanical activation of growth factors (Advanced Materials 2024). Manuel holds an ERC Advanced Grant to develop the next generation of viscoelastic materials in stem cell engineering. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland’s National Academy for Arts and Sciences.

This talk is part of the Engineering - Mechanics Colloquia Research Seminars series.

This talk is included in these lists:

• All Talks (aka the CURE list)
• Cambridge University Engineering Department Talks
• Cambridge talks
• Centre for Smart Infrastructure & Construction
• Civil Engineering Talks
• Computational Continuum Mechanics Group Seminars
• Engineering - Dynamics and Vibration Tea Time Talks
• Engineering - Mechanics Colloquia Research Seminars
• Engineering - Mechanics and Materials Seminar Series
• Engineering - Mechanics, Materials and Design (Div C) - talks and events
• Featured lists
• Interested Talks
• JDB Seminar Room, CUED
• Lennard-Jones Centre external
• School of Technology
• Trust & Technology Initiative - interesting events
• bld31
• yk449

Note that ex-directory lists are not shown.