Welcome to the Laboratory of Applied Mechanobiology!
Our research groups have pioneered the rapidly growing field of Molecular Mechanobiology and are now advancing novel mechano-concepts towards the clinic. The cancer and fibrotic research has taken a cell-centric view in the last decades, mostly ignoring the reciprocal crosstalk of cells with their diseased extracellular matrix (ECM) or the physical aspects of their environment. It is as wanting to describe the behavior of a spider, while neglecting the presence of the spider net. The crosstalk between cells and their extracellular matrix, for example, profoundly steers cell functions and there is an urgent need to understand it. By using computational and experimental technologies, as well as advanced super-resolution imaging, our group discovered many structural mechanisms how mechanical forces can turn proteins into mechano-chemical switches. Our major goal now is to convert our newly discovered mechano-regulated mechanisms into clinically relevant products.
For selected reviews, click here. For selected presentations, here.
Fresh off the Press
22.05.2024
Congratulations to Konstantin and Viviana for their publication in PNAS: Tweaking the NRF2 signaling cascade in human myelogenous leukemia cells by artificial nano-organelles.
Congratulations to Ronja for her publication in The FEBS Journal:Salmonella-driven intestinal edema in mice is characterized by tensed fibronectin fibers.
Congratulations to Julia for her publication in Advanced Science:External Mechanical Stability Regulates Hematoma Vascularization in Bone Healing Rather than Endothelial YAP/TAZ Mechanotransduction.
Congratulations to Kateryna for her publication in Matrix Biology:Transglutaminase 2 has higher affinity for relaxed than for stretched fibronectin fibers.
Congratulations to Paulina, Carleen and Viola for their publication in Scientific Reports:Molecular dynamics of JUNO‐IZUMO1 complexation suggests biologically relevant mechanisms in fertilization.
Congratulations to Dilara and co-authors for their publication in Nature International Journal of Oral Science:Extracellular matrix remodelling in dental pulp tissue of carious human teeth through the prism of single-cell RNA sequencing.
The present data demonstrate molecular, cellular and biomechanical alterations in the pulp of human carious teeth, indicative of extensive ECM remodelling, reminiscent of fibrosis observed in other organs. external page Read more
How tumors transform blood vessels: It becomes clear that the tension of extracellular matrix fibers plays a key and previously unknown role in tumour development.
Tissue section of a mouse breast tumour: matrix channels (green) are segmenting the tumour tissue (blue) and form niches for immune cells (red), which can thus no longer reach and kill the tumour cells.
We show that the fibres within the tumour tracks are capable of trapping immune cells. While this happens, the immune cells stretch out along the channels and stick to the loose fibronectin fibres. In this elongated form, the immune cells switch from fighting diseases to supporting healing processes. Instead of attacking the tumour cells, they excrete molecules that stimulate growth, thus helping the cancer cells to multiply.
Congratulations to Charlotte for her publication in Matrix Biology:Infiltrating CD8+ T cells and M2 macrophages are retained in tumor matrix tracks enriched in low tension fibronectin fibers
01.10.2021 Congratulations to Enrico, Morteza, Diana, Tamara, Margherita, Sebastian and Viola for their new publication in PNAS!"Nanoconfinement of microvilli alters gene expression and boosts T cell activation"
To see a full list of publications from our Lab click here.
Our research at a glance
News and Events
22.07.2024
Big congratulations to Ronja and co-authors for the cover feature in The FEBS Journal!
Ronja's latest scientific publication is now in print at The FEBS Journal, and we are thrilled to share that one of the microscopy images has been featured on the cover! 🧬🔬 Immense gratitude to everyone who supported this research journey. external page Check it out! 📖✨
Nano-organelle assisted protection of cells from harmful ROS. The nanocontainer (blue) contains enzymes, such as lactoper- oxidase (LPO), that can degrade ROS.
Konstantin and Vivianas paper on artificial organelles has been showcased on Kudos!
ROS (reactive oxygen species) are damaging molecules produced in cells, e.g. from imperfect metabolism in mitochondria, the powerhouses of the cell. The interdisciplinary study shows that artificial organelles, designed to act like sponges, can be swallowed by cells to absorb and neutralize ROS. These internalized organelles then protect cells by reducing ROS levels, even when the cells' natural defenses are weakened. external page Click here to learn on kudos why this is relevant and external page here to find the full paper!
After fertilisation, the egg cell (purple) releases zinc ions (blue dots), which changes the shape of the green protein on the surface of a sperm. As a result, the sperm can no longer dock to the egg cell. (Visualisation: Paulina Pacak, ETH Zurich)
02.02.2024
Have you ever wondered how fertilization works on molecular scale? Our group shed light on this question using latest molecular dynamics simulations executed on "Piz Daint", a supercomputer of the Swiss National Supercomputing Centre (CSCS), to visualise the fertilisation dynamics of a human egg cell. The results point to new directions of infertility treatment or developing drug-based contraceptive methods. Find out more in the official press release!
28.11.2023
Great honor for Prof. Dr. Viola Vogel!
Viola has been elected as a Fellow of the British Royal Academy of Engineering (RAE). On September 19, 2023, the RAE elected 73 engineering and technology leaders to its Fellowship, including Viola, one of 8 international Fellows recognized for their exceptional contributions. Fellows will contribute their unique abilities to fulfill the Academy's strategic mission of utilizing engineering to build a sustainable society and an inclusive economy for everyone. Congratulations Viola!
Dr. Dilara Perver's image, 'Hematopoietic Stem Cell on the Extracellular Matrix,' has been selected as the official symposium poster.
Prof. Dr. Viola Vogel will give a talk at the 2023 International Institute for Nanotechnology Symposium, 'Addressing the Global Challenges Through Nanotechnology,' on November 2nd. Students, researchers, and others interested in the latest advances in nanotechnology can click external page here to check the lineup and registration information.
Dr. Dilara Perver and Dr. Paulina Pacak will deliever speed preseantations at the 6th Reseach Day of D-HEST on the 7th of September at 9:00-9:30. After the presentations, we invite you to visit our poster presentations located on the G floor of the new GLC building. Discover the diverse scientific topics that our lab specializes in, and engage in discussions with our researchers to gain deeper insights into our work!
ETH Zurich and Kantonsspital Baden want to jointly expand clinical research. (Image: ETH Zurich / Alessandro Della Bella)
05.07.2023
You would like to learn how our collaboration with Kantonsspital Baden(KSB) contributes to bridge basic and clinicial research in the fight against breast cancer? Click here!
17.04.2023
A lay-summary in the open-access journal “The Science Breaker” explains to a broader community the unknown role of platelets in orchestrating the initial tissue repair.
Big congratulations to Mario and co-authors for the publication and the cover feature in Science Advances!
To find out "How the mechanobiology orchestrates the iterative and reciprocal ECM-cell cross-talk that drives microtissue growth", external page read more.
Seminar by Prof. Dr. Georg Duda on "Engineering Immuno-Mechanics to Enable Regeneration" on the 4th April, 2023 at 12:00-13:00
Interested colleagues and students are invited to the upcoming seminar of Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Georg N. Duda from Julius Wolff Institute and Berlin Institute of Health Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT) at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin.
Congratulations to Tandem Therapeutics and its co-founders, Dr. Mamta Chabria, Prof. Dr. Viola Vogeand Dr. Martin Behe! The biotech startup was awarded CHF 150,000 by the Venture Kick jury to develop its novel solution for treating fibrotic cancers and fibrosis. Tandem Therapeutics' precision targeting technology of the extracellular matrix has great potential for the future of medical treatment. We wish Tandem Therapeutics success in expanding its team and accelerating its business development activities.
Congratulations to Kateryna for receiving the best poster award at Biointerfaces International Zurich 2022 Conference with her poster titled: "Tissue transglutaminase 2 has higher binding affinity for relaxed than to stretched fibronectin fibers"
Neuro Technology Center Columbia University: NTC/DIPC Symposium: NanoNeuro 2022
Our lab will give a lecture series entitled "Mechanobiology in Health and Disease" for the 1st mini-series of the CABMM Scientific Seminar in the upcoming spring semester.
The mini-series will be opened by Prof. Dr. Viola Vogel's presentation: "Introduction and case studies: mechanisms how forces regulate the functions of molecules, cells and tissues”.
Date: Friday, February 25, 2022 Time: 12:00 Join Zoom Meeting https://uzh.zoom.us/j/63587505684?pwd=bzBsRUNrRW56L2ROK3JBZkUxMU84UT09 Meeting ID 635 8750 5684 Passcode 964609
07.12.2021 Big congratulations to Konstantin Wolf for being awarded The Willi Studer Prize 2020 for the best student in his master in Biotechnology at the Department of of Biosystems Science and Engineering (D-BSSE) at ETH!
It is with great pleasure we invite you to the upcoming seminar "Mimicking physiological and pathological situations in 3D biopolymer-based matrices in vitro" by Prof. Tilo Pompe from the Institute of Biochemistry, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany on Tuesday, 7 December 2021 at 2.00 PM. The talk will follow with a lively discussion!
Prof. Viola Vogel will give an online talk for Bilkent University & Embassy of Switzerland in Turkey's common seminar series on Mechanical Engineering.
06.10.2021 Mark your agenda for Prof. Viola Vogel's talk on 19.10.2021 “Molecular Mechanobiology of the extracellular matrix: From healthy tissues to cancer" at the QBIO/CANCER JOINT SYMPOSIUM at 14:30-15:10, online.
Click external page here for the free registration for the afternoon online event before Monday October 11, 2021.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation containing information about joining the symposium online. For more information, please contact the organiser: or
01.09.2021 Mark your agenda for Scientifica 2021: Laboratory of Applied Mechanobiology contributes to Scientifica by Dr. Dilara Perver's public lecture about Bioengineering.
The talk will be held on 5 September at 13:oo-13:45 in ETH Hönggerberg Campus at HPH G3 in English and be suitable from 12 years old.
Mark your agenda for 16.06.2021: "Mechanoregulation of Cell Niches in Health and Disease"
Prof. Viola Vogel will give a talk for the iHealthtech “Innovating Health” Distinguished Speaker Webinar Series on 16th June 2021, Wednesday, 3:00 - 4:00 pm, Singapore time (9:00 - 10:00 am, Zürich time) on Zoom.
04.06.2021
Big congratulations to Enrico for his publication and the cover feature in Journal of Proteome Research!
17.05.2021 Ronja’s microscopy image featured in the Annual Report of the Botnar Research Center for Child Health. Congrats!
The image highlights extracellular matrix in a cross-section through a lymphatic structure in the mouse cecum. It is part of the research project “Precision Microbiota Engineering for Child Health”. The Multi-Investigator project is working towards new treatment options for two serious diseases in newborns, inborn errors of metabolism and neonatal sepsis, which currently have high mortality rates and long-term consequences for the children’s development.
Read more about this project and other amazing research funded by the Botnar Research Center for Child Health in the external page Annual Report 2020
28.04.2021 Huge congratulations to Viola who together with two other ETH professors Nenad Ban and Ursula Keller was elected an international member of NAS, National Academy of Science, US!
22.04.2021 #AskDifferent The Einstein Foundation's interview with Viola
In the podcast, Viola shares her joy in research, as well as also her experience in the dialogue between science and politics and her criticism of hierarchies that slow down innovation.
Big congratulations to Nikhil for being awarded the SNF SPARK Grant!
It is aimed towards testing whether changes in the biophysical properties of the cell nucleus can be established as biophysical diagnostic markers for the early and efficient diagnosis of the activation of human monocytes during sepsis.
There is a lot of research going on, in order to get the corona virus under control. Prof. Vogel is engaging herself with the selfcleaning mechanisms of the raspiratory system and is explaining - understandable for everyone - what we can do.
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Positiv bleiben und durchhalten - 00:25 – Interview mit Frau Prof. Viola Vogel 06:33 – Interview mit Martin Suter 11:40 – Interview mit Prof. Cornel Fraefel 16:52 – Interview mit Peter Reber
31.03.2020
ETH Podcast: How can we use the fragile shell of the corona virus and our self-cleaning mechanisms of the respiratory tract for self-protection? by Viola Listen here
29.03.2020
How to Further Reduce the Risk of Serious COVID-19 Infections: Exploiting the Fragile Viral Envelope and the Self-Cleaning Mechanisms of Our Respiratory System by Viola
The journey of a (corona)virus from your mouth into the lungs: Can we exploit that knowledge to reduce the risk of an infection? external page Read more
13. 03. 2020
Reducing the risk of infection by Viola
Biology shows us that there are additional ways to reduce the risk of serious coronavirus infections, in addition to hand hygiene and keeping distance, Viola Vogel wrote at Zukunftsblog. Read more
06.02.2020
Congratulations to Viola for being elected as an international member of NAE, National Academy of Engineering, US!
Academy membership honors those who have made outstanding contributions to "engineering research, practice, or education, including, where appropriate, significant contributions to the engineering literature" and to "the pioneering of new and developing fields of technology, making major advancements in traditional fields of engineering, or developing/implementing innovative approaches to engineering education."
