10 June 2025
A Warwick researcher in membrane-cortex mechanics was highlighted for leading an inspiring international workshop that connects mechanobiology with engineering and science education.
Cellular Interface Cluster
Understanding cellular interface at all scales of biological organisation.
The Cellular Interface Cluster brings together membrane biophysics, mechanobiology, advanced imaging and bioelectric systems modelling. We investigate how cells sense, shape, and communicate across mechanical and electrical boundaries.
Cell membrane organization dynamics and function: cartoon by Sarayu Beri
People
Principal Investigators
Professor Satyajit Mayor
Membrane organisation and living interfaces
The Mayor lab studies how cells build functional membrane architecture in space and time, and how membrane composition and mechanics influence signalling, endocytosis, and cellular decision-making.
Selected publications
Growth factor-triggered de-sialylation controls glycolipid-lectin-driven endocytosis
· MacDonald E et al. · Nature Cell Biology · 2025
Mechanochemical feedback control of dynamin independent endocytosis modulates membrane tension in adherent cells
· Thottacherry JB et al. · Nature Communications · 2018
Transmembrane Pickets Connect Cyto- and Pericellular Skeletons Forming Barriers to Receptor Engagement
· Freeman SA et al. · Cell · 2018
Integrin Mechano-chemical Signaling Generates Plasma Membrane Nanodomains that Promote Cell Spreading
· Kalappurakkal JM et al. · Cell · 2019
Diverse ancestral myosin motors generate and segregate distinct types of nanocluster-rich domains at the plasma membrane
· Sil P, van Zanten TS et al. · bioRxiv · 2025
Active flows drive clustering and sorting of membrane components with differential affinity to dynamic actin cytoskeleton
· Bhat A, Das A, Iyer MS, Beri S, Talluri S, Köster D, Rao M, Mayor S · bioRxiv · 2025
Solvatochromic reporter to image plasma membrane order leaflet by leaflet reveals a highly asymmetric bilayer locally modulated by transbilayer interactions
· Patra C, Samad M, van Zanten T et al. · bioRxiv · 2024
Dr Darius Köster
Membrane-cortex mechanics and tension regulation
Our research aims to understand, how cells detect mechanical signals at the cell membrane and how this affects the regulation of the actin cytoskeleton. To achieve this aim, we design simplified, reconstituted, minimal systems and perform experiments on cells under controlled mechanical conditions.
Selected publications
Calponin-homology domain mediated bending of membrane associated actin filaments
· Palani S et al. · eLife · 2021
A Composition-Dependent Molecular Clutch Between T Cell Signaling Clusters and Actin
· Ditlev JA et al. · eLife · 2019
Actomyosin dynamics drive local membrane component organization in an in vitro active composite layer
· Köster DV et al. · PNAS · 2016
Dr Falk Schneider
Fluorescence imaging of membrane dynamics and organisation
The Fluorescence and Membrane Dynamics (FMD) Lab develops advanced fluorescence microscopy and fluctuation spectroscopy tools to quantify nanoscale molecular motion and membrane organisation across model membranes, living cells, and zebrafish tissues. By linking molecular-scale dynamics to cellular and tissue-level function, the lab seeks to uncover fundamental principles of biological self-organisation.
Selected publications
Quantitative comparison of fluorescent reporters by FCS excitation scan
· Schneider F, Trinh LA, Fraser SE · bioRxiv · 2026
Quantifying biomolecular organisation in membranes with brightness-transit statistics
· Schneider F, Cespedes PF, Karedla N et al. · Nature Communications · 2024
The kinase occupancy of T cell coreceptors reconsidered
· Mørch AM, Schneider F et al. · PNAS · 2022
Dr Eva Kreysing
Neuronal mechanobiology and tissue stiffness sensing
The Kreysing lab develops new imaging techniques to understand how tissue stiffness influences neuronal maturation and electrical signalling through mechanosensitive pathways.
Selected publications
Environmental stiffness regulates neuronal maturation via Piezo1-mediated transthyretin activity
· Kreysing E et al. · Nature Communications · 2025
Effective cell membrane tension is independent of polyacrylamide substrate stiffness
· Kreysing E et al. · PNAS Nexus · 2023
Nanometer-resolved mapping of cell–substrate distances of contracting cardiomyocytes using surface plasmon resonance microscopy
· Kreysing E et al. · ACS Nano · 2018
Dr Amit Singh Vishen
Electrohydraulics of Living Matter
The Vishen lab develops coupled electrohydraulic theory for how ion transport, water flow, and mechanics work together to drive tissue growth, patterning, and morphogenesis.
Selected publications
Electrohydraulic Fields Generated by Active Transport at Tissue Interfaces
· Vishen et al. · arXiv:2605.22056 · 2026
Injury-induced electrochemical coupling triggers organ growth
· Liu J et al. · Science Advances · 2026
A mechano-osmotic feedback couples cell volume to the rate of cell deformation
· Venkova L, Vishen AS et al. · eLife · 2022
News
Latest updates
7 November 2025
A new study from Dr Eva Kreysing demonstrates how tissue stiffness guides electrical maturation in neurons through Piezo1-regulated transthyretin activity.
12 July 2023
Professor Satyajit Mayor named Leverhulme International Professor
The NCBS membrane biophysics leader joined the cluster's growing international partnership after receiving the Leverhulme International Professorship.
Publications
Recent Publications
-
Vishen AS, Manna A, Jülicher F · arXiv:2605.22056
-
Talluri S, Varma SG, Krishna P, Banerjee A, Iyer M, Ganji M, Sarkar S, Mayor S · Biophysical Journal
-
Vishen AS · arXiv:2602.18909
-
Schneider F, Trinh LA, Fraser SE · bioRxiv
-
Ghosh S, James J, Ummat BH, Coker HLE, Fritzsche M, Köster D · bioRxiv
-
MacDonald E, Forrester A, Valades-Cruz CA … Mayor S, Weigert R, Wunder C, Johannes L · Nature Cell Biology
-
Singh V, Breton V, Viaris de Lesegno C, Macé A, Bun P, Blouin C, Vishen AS, Sens P, Lamaze C · Nature Communications
-
Kreysing E, Gautier HOB, Mukherjee S, Mooslehner KA, Muresan L, Haarhoff D, Zhao X, Winkel A … Káradóttir R, Franze K · Nature Communications
-
Scott W, Ivorra-Molla E, Schneider F et al. · Journal of Biological Chemistry
-
Karedla N, Schneider F, Enderlein J, Chen T · Angewandte Chemie International Edition
-
Al-Izzi S, Ghanbarzadeh Nodehi S, Köster D, Morris R · Physical Review Research
-
James J, Winn LBA, Mottram-Epson P, Köster D · Journal of Cell Science
-
Morales Angeles D, Coleman K, Odika CP … Köster D … Rodrigues CDA · PLoS Genetics
-
Sil P, van Zanten TS, Jahnavi S, Bansal A, Saha S, Mahajan B, Kumar M, Pal Singh P, Rao M, Mayor S · bioRxiv
-
Bhat A, Das A, Iyer MS, Beri S, Talluri S, Köster D, Rao M, Mayor S · bioRxiv
-
Cherchia L, Fraser SE, Finley SD, Schneider F · bioRxiv
-
Urbančič I, Schneider F, Galiani S, Sezgin E, Eggeling C · bioRxiv
-
Theriot J, Simonsen A, Tolić I, Leonetti MD, Mayor S, Bassereau PM, Paluch EK … Cheeseman I · Cell
-
Vishen AS, Prost J, Rao M · arXiv:2403.10125
-
Hasenauer J, Meng X, Scarborough H, Stanley-Ahmed JA, Köster D, Ratheesh A · bioRxiv
-
Patra C, Samad M, van Zanten TS, Singh M, Vishwakarma RA, Singh P, Mayor S · bioRxiv
-
Mayor S et al. · Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology
-
van Zanten TS, … Mayor S · Molecular Biology of the Cell
-
Bhat A, Das A, Köster D, Rao M, Mayor S · Biophysical Journal
-
Patra C, Singh M, van Zanten TV, Pal Singh P, Mayor S · Biophysical Journal
-
Talluri S, Mayor S · Biophysical Journal
-
Iyer MS, Rao M, Mayor S, Sowdhamini R · Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology
-
Mateos N, Sil P, Talluri S, Manzo C, Mayor S, Garcia-Parajo M · arXiv:2307.07334
-
Kreysing E, Mc Hugh J, Foster SK, Andresen K, Greenhalgh RD, Pillai EK, Dimitracopoulos A, Keyser U, Franze K · PNAS Nexus
-
Sreenivas D, Kumar V … Mayor S, Ramakrishnan U, Notani D · bioRxiv
-
Stower M, Zhou FY, Hathrell H … Schneider F … Srinivas S · bioRxiv
Join Us
Open Positions
No positions are currently advertised. Check back soon or contact the relevant PI directly to express interest.
University of Warwick
Centre for Mechanochemical Cell Biology
Leverhulme Trust