Rocha Lab

Our Nature Protocols cover is out!🎉
Fully synthetic PIC hydrogels provide an animal-free matrix for 3D cell culture.
Congrats to Hongbo Yuan, Kaizheng Liu, and Paul Kouwer; and thanks to Hans Van Oosterwyck for the collaboration behind this beautiful cover.
🔗 nature.com/articles/s41596-025-01159-3

Still buzzing after the @cellmech2025.bsky.social conference in Leuven!
It was great to connect with so many experts in mechanobiology and to be part of this close, dynamic community. We enjoyed the inspiring talks and left with plenty of new ideas.💡
Already looking forward to the next edition!

Exciting week ahead! @cellmech2025.bsky.social is looking truly incredible and we are happy to be here as @rochalab.bsky.social. Let’s share some quality science! 🔬

Fibrous polyisocyanide hydrogels for 3D cell culture applications - Nature Protocols Methods to use polyisocyanide as a model matrix for 3D cell culture. Polyisocyanide gels closely mimic the physical properties of biogels such as collagen and fibrin and, as fully synthetic materials,...

Hydrogels are essential in mechanobiology—and PIC is a game changer.
Fully synthetic yet highly biomimetic, PIC opens new possibilities for 3D cell culture applications.
Congrats to Hongbo Yuan, Kouwer Lab, and rochalab.bsky.social on this detailed Nature Protocols guide! 👏📜

🔬 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 – 𝐃𝐚𝐲 #𝟏 🔬
Exciting times in @rochalab.bsky.social and @hofkenslab.bsky.social Lab !🧪We're restarting to build microscopes, and I decided to guide two PhD students (Steven Huysecom and Toon Van Roy) through the process.
#Microscopy #optics #SciComm #sts

Beyond One-Size-Fits-All: Tumor Biology Influences Nanoparticle Behaviour in Cancer Models Nanoparticles (NPs) are a promising tool for cancer therapy, yet few have successfully reached clinical application. Current nanomedicine development pipelines are focused on optimizing physical prope...

What if tweaking nanoparticles isn’t enough to improve nanomedicine? 🧐
In our latest work, we show that tumor biology – not just particle design – affects how nanoparticles behave.
Same particles. Different tumors. Totally different outcomes. 🤯
🔎 Curious? Check it out: doi.org/10.1101/2025...

Thank you for creating this pack, super nice! Could I be added?

✨The IUPAC Global Women’s Breakfast is a wrap!✨
A big thank you to our inspiring speakers for sharing their experiences and motivating the next generation of scientists. Perfect timing to celebrate this on the International Day of Women in Science!👩🏻‍🔬
Let’s keep breaking barriers and building bonds!

If you have a passion for single-molecule super-resolution microscopy🔬, there are great news to share: the SMLMS conference series will continue this year and will be held in Bonn/Germany Aug 27th to 29th ✨- please save the date and join us, we are looking forward to meeting you there👇🏻

A reminder to colleagues interested in Cell-Matrix adhesion & anything ECM related that registration is now open for the Fibronectin, Integrins & related molecules Gordon Research Conference. Incredible list speakers! incredible location! it will 🔥 🔥 🔥 Please join us! www.grc.org/fibronectin-...

Linking Molecular Tension and Cellular Tractions: A Multiscale Approach to Focal Adhesion Mechanics Focal adhesions (FAs) are mechanosensitive structures that mediate force transmission between cells and the extracellular matrix. While Traction Force Microscopy (TFM) quantifies cellular tractions ex...

How do cells translate molecular forces into mechanical actions? 🧬🔬💪 Our new research combines Traction Force Microscopy (TFM) with FRET-based tension sensors to uncover how focal adhesions manage vinculin tension and cellular traction. Check it out: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Lab life = science, fun, and cake! 🎂🥳 Nina Anseeuw outdid herself with this lab-logo masterpiece for her birthday. Starting 2025 on a sweet note with science and great vibes! Here’s to more good times (and good science)! 🔬✨ #LabLife #Happy2025

ESBiomech in Zurich (July) esbiomech2025.org, Gordon conference in Fibronectin, Integrin and related molecules, Lucca (Italy) in May www.grc.org/fibronectin-... and, a bit later (September), CellMech in the beautiful city of Leuven! cellmech2025.org

Super proud to see the efforts of @borislouis.bsky.social being recognised – even if it has little to do with my own research 😅

Work realized with an incredible team:
Chih-Hao Huang, Marc Melendez, Ana Sánchez-Iglesias,Jorge Olmos-Trigo, @sudiptaseth.bsky.social, @rochalab.bsky.social, Rafael Delgado-Buscalioni, Luis M. Liz-Marzán, Manuel I. Marqués, Hiroshi Masuhara, @hofkenslab.bsky.social, Roger Bresolí-Obach

These biomimetic materials support cell adhesion and provide a tunable platform for studying mechanotransduction. Are you curious about how we engineered these "life-like" materials?
👉 Check out the publication in Science Advances!

🔬 Hydrogels Redefined 🔬
What happens when you combine polymer science with collaborative creativity? In a project driven by Dankers' group (Eindhoven) and in collaboration with Kouwer's team (Nijmegen), we explored multi-dynamic hydrogels that combine stress-stiffening and supramolecular polymers.

I like the interdisciplinarity of this starter pack! Can you add me, please? Thanks!

Deciphering stiffness-driven changes in colorectal cancer by proteomics Tumor stiffening plays a pivotal role in cancer progression. Increased tumor stiffness, resulting from interactions between cancer cells and their surrounding microenvironment, alters the tumor's mech...

🔬 How does tumor stiffness affect cancer? Our latest research shows that stiffer colorectal tumors release proteins that fuel cancer cell migration and blood vessel formation, driving more aggressive tumor behavior. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Would it be possible for me to be added to the list? Thank you!

Would it be possible for me to be included on this list? Thanks!

At the Rocha Lab, we work at the intersection of chemistry 🧪 and biology 🧬, developing hydrogel-based 3D cell models that mimic natural tissues. Our passion for microscopy 🔬 drives us to explore the intricate details of biological systems, pushing the boundaries of cellular research!

Rocha Lab team - October 2024

📸 Super proud to share the new Rocha Lab group photo! 🌟 Not everyone could make it, but here’s a glimpse of the team driving our research forward. #LabLife

Nano-Enhanced Hydrogels for Probing Cellular Mechanotransduction Join us to explore dynamic cell-ECM interactions using advanced microscopy and nanoparticles.

Interested in an interdisciplinary PhD? Join us to explore dynamic cell-ECM interactions using advanced microscopy and nanoparticles! Be a part of the partnership program between KU Leuven and Melbourne University and travel to the other side of the world! Apply now!
www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jo...

We are thrilled to announce that Indra Van Zundert has been awarded a prestigious FWO post-doctoral fellowship! 🎉 She will join our team in October, using 3D cell models to develop DNA origamis for gene therapy. 🧬 Can't wait to have you with us at KU Leuven!

Super proud to share the success of the IUPAC Global Women’s Breakfast held at
@KU_Leuven! With the support of the Chemistry Department, we hosted over 60 enthusiastic participants. A big shoutout to our speakers for their openness during the Q&A session #GWB2024 #WomeninSTEM

Excited to announce that we are joining the IUPAC Global Women's Breakfast initiative. We are hosting a special lunch @KULeuven to celebrate women in chemistry. It's a fantastic opportunity to connect with fellow female chemists #GWB2024

While red weather alerts sweep the nation, we're brightening up KU Leuven with Rocha Lab's creative decorations! ❄️☃️#TeamSpirit #LabLife

Best wishes for 2024!

Delighted to have hosted Hokkaido University's scientific delegation at KU Leuven for the Core-2-Core symposium yesterday! 🥳After 4 years due to COVID, it was fantastic to meet in person. Big thanks to our colleagues from Melbourne University for joining us online! 🌏