Prof Thomas Iskratsch
Professor of Cardiovascular Mechanobiology and Bioengineering
Industry Lead for The Centre for Bioengineering
School of Engineering and Materials Science
Queen Mary University of London
Queen Mary University of London
Research
Mechanobiology, Organ-on-a-chip, Cardiovascular Engineering, Micro- and Nano-patterning, Cell Mechanics & Cell Engineering, Cytoskeleton
Interests
The role of mechanical signals in the cardiovascular systemThe cellular microenvironment is defined by both chemical and physical/mechanical parameters. Recent data inidicated that mechanical signals, such as extracellular matrix rigidity contribute to guide cell migration, growth or differentiation during development or in disease.
Our research aims at understanding how mechanical forces regulate cell behavior especially in the cardiovascular system, including the formation and maintenance of the contractile myofibrils in cardiomyocytes during heart development or in cardiac disease, or the determination of vascular smooth muscle cell phenotypes (contractile or synthetic). To answer these questions we use techniques, such as nanopillar arrays, micro and nano-patterning, magnetic tweezers or molecular Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) protein activity and tension sensors.
Publications
Publications of specific relevance to the Centre for Bioengineering2024
Padilla‐Lopategui S, Ligorio C, Bu W, Yin C, Laurenza D, Redondo C, Owen R, Sun H, Rose FRAJ, Iskratsch T and Mata A (2024). Biocooperative Regenerative Materials by Harnessing Blood‐Clotting and Peptide Self‐Assembly. Advanced Materials, Wiley 14-11-2024
Swiatlowska P, Iskratsch T and Shanahan C (2024). Mechano-epigenetic regulation of vascular smooth muscle cell phenotype in atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis, Elsevier vol. 395 01-08-2024
Fromager B, Cambedouzou J, Marhuenda E, Iskratsch T, Pinault M, Bakalara N and Cornu D (2024). Tunable electrospun scaffolds of polyacrylonitrile loaded with carbon nanotubes: from synthesis to biological applications. ChemBioChem, Wiley vol. 25 (7) 12-03-2024
Swiatlowska P, Tipping W, Marhuenda E, Severi P, Fomin V, Yang Z, Xiao Q, Graham D, Shanahan C and Iskratsch T (2024). Hypertensive Pressure Mechanosensing Alone Triggers Lipid Droplet Accumulation and Transdifferentiation of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells to Foam Cells (Adv. Sci. 9/2024). Advanced Science, Wiley vol. 11 (9) 01-03-2024
Faleeva M, Ahmad S, Theofilatos K, Lynham S, Watson G, Whitehead M, Marhuenda E, Iskratsch T, Cox S and Shanahan CM (2024). Sox9 Accelerates Vascular Aging by Regulating Extracellular Matrix Composition and Stiffness. Circulation Research, Wolters Kluwer vol. 134 (3), 307-324. 05-01-2024
Zheng T, O’Neill C, Marshall JF, Iskratsch T and Palma M (2024). Selective placement of functionalised DNA origami via thermal scanning probe lithography patterning. Materials Advances, Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) 01-01-2024
2023
Swiatlowska P, Tipping W, Marhuenda E, Severi P, Fomin V, Yang Z, Xiao Q, Graham D, Shanahan C and Iskratsch T (2023). Hypertensive Pressure Mechanosensing Alone Triggers Lipid Droplet Accumulation and Transdifferentiation of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells to Foam Cells. Advanced Science, Wiley vol. 11 (9) 25-12-2023
Ross JA, Arcos-Villacis N, Battey E, Boogerd C, Orellana CA, Marhuenda E, Swiatlowska P, Hodzic D, Prin F, Mohun T, Catibog N, Tapia O, Gerace L, Iskratsch T, Shah AM and Stroud MJ (2023). Lem2 is essential for cardiac development by maintaining nuclear integrity. Cardiovascular Research, Oxford University Press (OUP) vol. 119 (11), 2074-2088. 17-04-2023
Swiatlowska P and Iskratsch T (2023). Cardiovascular Mechano-Epigenetics: Force-Dependent Regulation of Histone Modifications and Gene Regulation. Cardiovascular Drugs and Therapy, Springer Nature vol. 38 (2), 215-222. 18-01-2023
Battey E, Ross JA, Hoang A, Wilson DGS, Han Y, Levy Y, Pollock RD, Kalakoutis M, Pugh JN, Close GL, Ellison‐Hughes GM, Lazarus NR, Iskratsch T, Harridge SDR, Ochala J and Stroud MJ (2023). Myonuclear alterations associated with exercise are independent of age in humans. The Journal of Physiology, Wiley 04-01-2023
2022
Jacques R, Zhou B, Marhuenda E, Gorecki J, Das A, Iskratsch T and Krause S (2022). Photoelectrochemical imaging of single cardiomyocytes and monitoring of their action potentials through contact force manipulation of organoids. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Elsevier 21-12-2022
Iskratsch T, Hawkes W, Marhuenda E, Reynolds P, O'Neill C, PANDEY P, Wilson D, FREELEY M, HUANG D, Junquiang H, Gondarenko S, Hone J, Gadegaard N and Palma M (2022). Regulation of Cardiomyocyte Adhesion and
Mechanosignalling Through Distinct Nanoscale Behaviour of
Integrin Ligands Mimicking Healthy or Fibrotic ECM. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, The Royal Society 21-11-2022
Iskratsch T, Wilson D and Tinker A (2022). The role of the dystrophin glycoprotein complex in muscle cell mechanotransduction. Communications Biology, Nature Research 27-09-2022
Swiatlowska P, Sit B, Feng Z, Marhuenda E, Xanthis I, Zingaro S, Ward M, Zhou X, Xiao Q, Shanahan C, Jones GE, Yu C-H and Iskratsch T (2022). Pressure and stiffness sensing together regulate vascular smooth muscle cell phenotype switching. Science advances vol. 8 (15) 01-04-2022
Wilson DGS and Iskratsch T (2022). Factoring in the force: A novel role for eIF6. The Journal of cell biology vol. 221 (2) 21-01-2022
2021
Swiatlowska P and Iskratsch T (2021). Cardiovascular mechanobiology—a Special Issue to look at the state of the art and the newest insights into the role of mechanical forces in cardiovascular development, physiology and disease. Biophysical Reviews, Springer (part of Springer Nature) vol. 13 (5), 575-577. 11-09-2021
Swiatlowska P and Iskratsch T (2021). Tools for studying and modulating (cardiac muscle) cell mechanics and mechanosensing across the scales. Biophysical Reviews, Springer Nature vol. 13 (5), 611-623. 05-09-2021
Swiatlowska P and Iskratsch T (2021). Announcing the call for the Special Issue on “Cardiovascular mechanobiology—a special issue to look at the state of the art and the newest insights into the role of mechanical forces in cardiovascular development, physiology, and disease”. Biophysical Reviews, Springer Nature vol. 13 (3), 307-308. 03-05-2021
Marhuenda E, Fabre C, Zhang C, Martin-Fernandez M, Iskratsch T, Saleh A, Bauchet L, Cambedouzou J, Hugnot JP, Duffau H, Dennis JW, Cornu D and Bakalara N (2021). Glioma stem cells invasive phenotype at optimal stiffness is driven by MGAT5 dependent mechanosensing. Journal of Experimental and Clinical Cancer Research vol. 40 (1) 24-04-2021
2020
(2020). Cell scientist to watch – Thomas Iskratsch. Journal of Cell Science, The Company of Biologists vol. 133 (15) 01-08-2020
2019
Di Cio S, Iskratsch T, Connelly JT and Gautrot JE (2019). Contractile myosin rings and cofilin-mediated actin disassembly orchestrate ECM nanotopography sensing. Biomaterials, Elsevier vol. 232 16-12-2019
Pedrosa A-R, BODRUG N, Gomez-Escudero J, Carter EP, Reynolds LE, Georgiou PN, Fernandez I, Lees DM, Kostourou V, Alexopoulou AN, Batista S, Tavora B, Serrels B, Parsons M, Iskratsch T and Hodivala-Dilke K (2019). Tumour angiogenesis is differentially regulated by endothelial cell Focal Adhesion Kinase tyrosine-397 and -861 phosphorylation. Cancer Research, American Association for Cancer Research 12-06-2019
Sit B, Gutmann D and Iskratsch T (2019). Costameres, dense plaques and podosomes: the cell matrix adhesions in cardiovascular mechanosensing. Journal of Muscle Research and Cell Motility, Springer Nature vol. 40 (2), 197-209. 01-06-2019
Hawkes W, Huang D, Reynolds P, Hammond L, Ward M, Gadegaard N, Marshall JF, Iskratch T and Palma M (2019). Probing the nanoscale organisation and multivalency of cell surface receptors: DNA origami nanoarrays for cellular studies with single-molecule control. Faraday Discussions, Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) 18-03-2019
Ward M and Iskratsch T (2019). Mix and (mis-)match – The mechanosensing machinery in the changing environment of the developing, healthy adult and diseased heart. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Molecular Cell Research, Elsevier vol. 1867 (3) 08-02-2019
2018
Ciuba K, Hawkes W, Tojkander S, Kogan K, Engel U, ISKRATSCH T and Lappalainen P (2018). Calponin-3 is critical for coordinated contractility of actin stress fibers. Scientific Reports, Nature Publishing Group 05-12-2018
Pandey P, Hawkes W, Hu J, Megone WV, Gautrot J, Anilkumar N, Zhang M, Hirvonen L, Cox S, Ehler E, Hone J, Sheetz M and Iskratsch T (2018). Cardiomyocytes Sense Matrix Rigidity through a Combination of Muscle and Non-muscle Myosin Contractions. Dev Cell vol. 44 (3), 326-336.e3. 05-02-2018
Koldyka O, Pandey P, Iskratsch T and Ehler E (2018). Similar Effects of Humoral or Mechanical Stress on Cell-Cell Contacts in Cultured Cardiomyocytes. 01-02-2018
2017
Lee NM, Erisken C, Iskratsch T, Sheetz M, Levine WN and Lu HH (2017). Polymer fiber-based models of connective tissue repair and healing. Biomaterials vol. 112, 303-312. 01-01-2017
Pluess M, Koldyka O, Iskratsch T, Bennett P, Dwyer J, Pandey P, dos Remedios C and Ehler E (2017). Alterations in cardiac cytoarchitecture due to cellular stress in dilated cardiomyopathy. 01-01-2017
2016
Santos LC, Blair DA, Kumari S, Cammer M, Iskratsch T, Herbin O, Alexandropoulos K, Dustin ML and Sheetz MP (2016). Actin polymerization-dependent activation of Cas-L promotes immunological synapse stability. Immunol Cell Biol vol. 94 (10), 981-993. 30-06-2016
Meacci G, Wolfenson H, Liu S, Stachowiak MR, Iskratsch T, Mathur A, Ghassemi S, Gauthier N, Tabdanov E, Lohner J, Gondarenko A, Chander AC, Roca-Cusachs P, O'Shaughnessy B, Hone J and Sheetz MP (2016). α-Actinin links extracellular matrix rigidity-sensing contractile units with periodic cell-edge retractions. Mol Biol Cell vol. 27 (22), 3471-3479. 27-04-2016
Pluess M, Iskratsch T, Bennett P, Dwyer J, Pandey P, dos Remedios C and Ehler E (2016). Cellular Stress Affects the Nucleoskeleton in Dilated Cardiomyopathy. 01-02-2016
2015
Wolfenson H, Meacci G, Liu S, Stachowiak MR, Iskratsch T, Ghassemi S, Roca-Cusachs P, O'Shaughnessy B, Hone J and Sheetz MP (2015). Tropomyosin controls sarcomere-like contractions for rigidity sensing and suppressing growth on soft matrices. Nat Cell Biol vol. 18 (1), 33-42. 30-11-2015
Tabdanov E, Gondarenko S, Kumari S, Liapis A, Dustin ML, Sheetz MP, Kam LC and Iskratsch T (2015). Micropatterning of TCR and LFA-1 ligands reveals complementary effects on cytoskeleton mechanics in T cells. Integr Biol (Camb) vol. 7 (10), 1272-1284. 03-07-2015
Ehler E, Pluess M, Randall T, Dwyer J, Iskratsch T, Dos Remedios C and Bennett P (2015). Changes in cardiac cytoarchitecture in human dilated cardiomyopathy. 01-01-2015
2014
Wolfenson H, Iskratsch T and Sheetz MP (2014). Early Events in Cell Spreading as a Model for Quantitative Analysis of Biomechanical Events. Biophysical Journal, Elsevier vol. 107 (11), 2508-2514. 01-12-2014
Iskratsch T, Wolfenson H and Sheetz MP (2014). Appreciating force and shape—the rise of mechanotransduction in cell biology. Nature reviews. Molecular cell biology vol. 15 (12), 825-833. 30-10-2014
Dwyer J, Pluess M, Iskratsch T, Dos Remedios CG and Ehler E (2014). The formin FHOD1 in cardiomyocytes. Anat Rec (Hoboken) vol. 297 (9), 1560-1570. 14-08-2014
Zhang X, Moore SW, Iskratsch T and Sheetz MP (2014). N-WASP-directed actin polymerization activates Cas phosphorylation and lamellipodium spreading. Journal of Cell Science, The Company of Biologists vol. 127 (7), 1394-1405. 01-01-2014
Iskratsch T, Yu C-H, Mathur A, Liu S, Stévenin V, Dwyer J, Hone J, Ehler E and Sheetz M (2014). FHOD1 at Early Integrin Adhesions Drives Cell Spreading. 01-01-2014
Wolfenson H, Meacci G, Liu S, Stachowiak MR, Iskratsch T, Ghassemi S, Roca-Cusachs P, O'Shaughnessy B, Hone J and Sheetz MP (2014). Rigidity sensing by tropomyosin-regulated nanometer steps in local contractions. 01-01-2014
2013
Iskratsch T, Yu C-H, Mathur A, Liu S, Stévenin V, Dwyer J, Hone J, Ehler E and Sheetz M (2013). FHOD1 Is Needed for Directed Forces and Adhesion Maturation during Cell Spreading and Migration. Developmental Cell, Elsevier vol. 27 (5), 545-559. 01-12-2013
Meacci G, Stachowiak M, Liu S, Iskratsch T, Mathur A, Wolfenson H, Ghassemi S, Roca-Cusachs P, Tabdanov E, Gauthier N, Gondarenko A, O'Shaughnessy B, Hone J and Sheetz M (2013). Sarcomere-Like Units Contract Cell Edges. 01-01-2013
2012
Lynch CD, Lazar AM, Iskratsch T, Zhang X and Sheetz MP (2012). Endoplasmic spreading requires coalescence of vimentin intermediate filaments at force-bearing adhesions. Molecular Biology of the Cell, American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) vol. 24 (1), 21-30. 31-10-2012
Iskratsch T, Reijntjes S, Dwyer J, Toselli P, Dégano IR, Dominguez I and Ehler E (2012). Two distinct phosphorylation events govern the function of muscle FHOD3. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, Springer Nature vol. 70 (5), 893-908. 04-10-2012
Roca-Cusachs P, Iskratsch T and Sheetz MP (2012). Finding the weakest link – exploring integrin-mediated mechanical molecular pathways. Journal of Cell Science, The Company of Biologists vol. 125 (13), 3025-3038. 01-01-2012
Iskratsch T, Yu C-H, Mathur A, Hone J and Sheetz M (2012). Early cell spreading depends on actin polymerisation from integrin clusters by FHOD1. 01-01-2012
2011
Dwyer J, Iskratsch T and Ehler E (2011). Actin in striated muscle: recent insights into assembly and maintenance. Biophysical Reviews, Springer Nature vol. 4 (1), 17-25. 20-12-2011
Iskratsch T and Ehler E (2011). Formin-g muscle cytoarchitecture. BioArchitecture, Taylor & Francis vol. 1 (2), 66-68. 01-03-2011
Iskratsch T and Sheetz M (2011). Sequential action of formin family proteins during fibroblast adhesion and spreading. 01-01-2011
2010
Iskratsch T, Lange S, Dwyer J, Kho AL, Remedios CD and Ehler E (2010). Formin follows function: a muscle-specific isoform of FHOD3 is regulated by CK2 phosphorylation and promotes myofibril maintenance. The Journal of General Physiology, Rockefeller University Press vol. 137 (1), i1-i1. 27-12-2010
Iskratsch T, Lange S, Dwyer J, Kho AL, dos Remedios C and Ehler E (2010). Formin follows function: a muscle-specific isoform of FHOD3 is regulated by CK2 phosphorylation and promotes myofibril maintenance. Journal of Cell Biology, Rockefeller University Press vol. 191 (6), 1159-1172. 13-12-2010
2009
Herbst R, Iskratsch T, Unger E and Bittner RE (2009). Aberrant development of neuromuscular junctions in glycosylation-defective Largemyd mice. Neuromuscular Disorders, Elsevier vol. 19 (5), 366-378. 05-04-2009
Gutternigg M, Rendić D, Voglauer R, Iskratsch T and Wilson IBH (2009). Mammalian cells contain a second nucleocytoplasmic hexosaminidase. Biochemical Journal, Portland Press vol. 419 (1), 83-90. 13-03-2009
2008
Iskratsch T, Braun A, Paschinger K and Wilson IBH (2008). Specificity analysis of lectins and antibodies using remodeled glycoproteins. Analytical Biochemistry, Elsevier vol. 386 (2), 133-146. 14-12-2008
Grants
Grants of specific relevance to the Centre for BioengineeringThe role of novel mechanosensitive complex in cardiomyocyte pathophysiologyThomas Iskratsch and Andrew Tinker
£254,588 BHF British Heart Foundation (01-10-2024 - 30-09-2027)
(EPSRC CDT 2023) Next Generation Organ-on-a-Chip TechnologiesHazel Screen, Martin Knight, Thomas Iskratsch, Caroline Roney, Yi Sui, David Lee, Julia Shelton, Tsz Ho Tse, John Connelly, Adrian Biddle and Lucy Norling
£7,066,811 EPSRC Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (01-07-2024 - 30-09-2032)
Talin dependent mechanical imprinting as driver for cardiac disease progressionThomas Iskratsch
£231,663 BHF British Heart Foundation (22-01-2024 - 21-01-2027)
Thermochemical patterning to generate Bionanoarrays: Studentship Rachel SmythThomas Iskratsch
£9,000 Heidelberg Instruments Nano AG (18-01-2024 - 17-01-2027)
Artery-on-a-Chip (S&E flexible match-funded PhD studentship)Thomas Iskratsch
£103,372 Novo Nordisk Foundation (Denmark) (01-01-2024 - 31-12-2026)
Virtual Atria with Personalised Electrophysiology for Atrial Fibrillation Therapy Planning - SEMS Industry-supported PhD StudentshipCaroline Roney and Thomas Iskratsch
£25,000 Acutus Medical UK Ltd (01-10-2022 - 30-09-2025)
Development of functional 3D eccrine sweat gland modelThomas Iskratsch and John Connelly
£79,541 Unilever UK Ltd (04-10-2021 - 03-10-2024)
3D Photoelectrochemical Imaging in Porous Light-Addressable StructuresSteffi Krause, Joseph Briscoe and Thomas Iskratsch
£202,248 EPSRC Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (01-02-2021 - 30-04-2023)
The regulation of mechanosensing in healthy and atherosclerotic VSMCThomas Iskratsch
£238,021 BHF British Heart Foundation (01-12-2020 - 30-11-2023)
Investigating the cardiomyocyte rigidity sensing mechanism with micro patterned surfaces and nanopilThomas Iskratsch
£490,545 BBSRC Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (01-02-2019 - 31-03-2023)