About
We aim at understanding how physical forces and molecular control modules cooperate to drive biological function.
We develop new technologies to map and perturb the main physical properties that determine how cells and tissues grow, move, invade and remodel.
By combining this physical information with systematic molecular perturbations and computational models we explore the principles that govern the interplay between chemical and physical cues in living tissues.
We study how these principles are regulated in physiology and development, and how they are derailed in cancer and aging.
Making cellular forces visible
To study cell and tissue dynamics we develop new technologies to measure physical forces at the cell-cell and cell-matrix interface. By combining these technologies with computational analysis of cell shape and velocity we obtain a full experimental characterization of epithelial dynamics during tissue growth, wound healing and cancer cell invasion.
Tumour invasion by stromal forces
Cancer cell invasion and metastasis remain the leading cause of death in patients with cancer. Both processes are the result of a complex interaction between tumor cells and their microenvironment. One of our main lines of research is to study how tumours exploit the functions of non-cancer cells in their microenvironment to invade and metastasize. We focus on the interaction between epithelial cancer cells and Cancer Associated Fibroblasts (CAFs), the most abundant cell type in the tumour stroma.
Optogenetics to control cell mechanics
The recent development of optogenetic technologies offers promising possibilities to control signalling pathways with high spatiotemporal resolution. By expressing genetically encoded light-sensitive proteins, optogenetic technology enables the reversible perturbation of intracellular biochemistry with subcellular resolution. We have developed optogenetic tools based on controlling the activity of endogenous RhoA to upregulate or downregulate cell contractility and to control cell shape and mechanotransduction.
Collective durotaxis: a mechanism for cellular guidance by mechanical cues
Directed cell migration is one of the earliest observations in cell biology, dating back to the late XIX century. Also known as taxis, directed cell migration has been commonly associated with chemotaxis, i.e. the ability of a broad variety of cell types to migrate following gradients of chemical factors. We recently demonstrated a new mode of collective cell guidance by mechanical cues, called collective durotaxis. This new migration mode emerges only in cell collectives and, strikingly, does not require isolated cells to exhibit gradient sensing.
Organoid mechanobiology
Organoids are large multicellular structures that self-organize in vitro and maintain a similar organization and functionality than the organ from which they are derived. Organoids from many organs have now been obtained from embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells and organ progenitors. We use intestinal and kidney organoids to study how epithelia adopt three-dimensional shapes that closely resemble their structure in vivo. We also use organoids grown from primary tumors to understand how epithelial structure and function are lost with disease progression.
Engineering epithelial shape and mechanics from the bottom up
We develop new approaches to engineer epithelia in 3D. Using these approaches, we study the principles that govern the emergence of tissue shape from the bottom up. We recently found that epithelial sheets can stretch up to four times their initial area without breaking, and that they are able to recover their initial size in a fully reversible way when unstretched. Surprisingly, some cells in the tissue barely stretch, while others become ‘superstretched’, increasing their area more than ten times. We call this phenomenon ‘active superelasticity’.
Staff
Xavier Trepat
Projects
NATIONAL PROJECTS | FINANCER | PI |
---|---|---|
mGRADIENTMecanobiología de la migración colectiva durante la haptotaxis y la durotaxis: aplicación a los organoides intestinales (2019-2022) | MICIU Generación Conocimiento: Proyectos I+D | Xavier Trepat |
DYNAGELHidrogeles biocompatibles con rigidez dinámicamente ajustable para estudiar la mecanobiología de células y tejidos (2019-2022) | MICIU Retos investigación: Proyectos I+D | Raimon Sunyer |
INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS | FINANCER | PI |
---|---|---|
EpiFold Engineering epithelial shape and mechanics: from synthetic morphogenesis to biohybrid devices (2021-2025) | European Commission, ERC-AdG | Xavier Trepat |
The role of intermediate filaments in stress resistance in 3D epithelial structures (2021-2023) | Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), Walter Benjamin-Programme | Tom Golde |
Mechano·Control Mechanical control of biological function (2017-2022) | European Commission, FET Proactive | Xavier Trepat |
Control of cell collective flows and tissue folding by means of surface patterns (2021-2022) | Human Frontier Science Program, HFSP Beca postdoctoral | Pau Guillamat |
PRIVATELY-FUNDED PROJECTS | FINANCER | PI |
---|---|---|
Mech4Cancer · Enabling technologies to map nuclear mechanosensing: from organoids to tumors (2020-2023) | Obra Social La Caixa: Health Research Call | Xavier Trepat |
T cell exclusion during cancer immune evasion and immunotherapy failure: cell types, transcriptional programs and biomechanics (2020-2023) | Fundació La Marató de TV3 | Xavier Trepat |
Joint Programme Healthy Ageing | Obra Social La Caixa | Xavier Trepat |
Understanding and measuring mechanical tumor properties to improve cancer diagnosis, treatment, and survival: Application to liquid biopsies (2017-2022) | Obra Social La Caixa | Xavier Trepat |
FINISHED PROJECTS | FINANCER | PI |
---|---|---|
OPTOLEADER Optogenetic control of leader cell mechanobiology during collective cell migration (2019-2021) | European Commission, MARIE CURIE – IF | Leone Rossetti |
MECHANOIDS Probing and controlling the three-dimensional organoid mechanobiology (2019-2021) | European Commission, MARIE CURIE – IF | Manuel Gómez |
TensionControl Multiscale regulation of epithelial tension (2015-2020) | European Commission, ERC – CoG | Xavier Trepat |
El mecanoma de la adhesión epitelial: mecanismos de detección, resistencia y transmisión de fuerzas intercelulares | MINECO, I+D-Investigación fundamental no orientada | Xavier Trepat |
MICROGRADIENTPAGE Micro Gradient Polyacrylamide Gels for High Throughput Electrophoresis Analysis | European Commission, ERC-PoC | Xavier Trepat |
GENESFORCEMOTION Physical Forces Driving Collective Cell Migration: from Genes to Mechanism | European Commission, ERC-StG | Xavier Trepat |
CAMVAS Coordination and migration of cells during 3D Vasculogenesis (2014-2017) | European Commission, MARIE CURIE – IOF | Xavier Trepat |
DUROTAXIS Mecanobiología de la durotaxis: de las células aisladas a los tejidos | MINECO, Proyectos I+D Excelencia | Xavier Trepat |
Publications
Equipment
- Soft Lithography
- Micro/Nano fabrication
- Cell stretching
- Live Confocal Microcopy
- Magnetic Tweezers
- Magnetic Twisting Cytometry
- Monolayer stress microscopy
- Traction microscopy
Collaborations
- Julien Colombelli / Eduard Batlle
Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB) Barcelona - Marino Arroyo
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona - Guillaume Charras / Roberto Mayor
University College London, UK - Erik Sahai
Cancer Research, UK - Benoit Ladoux
Université Paris 7, France - Jim Butler & Jeff Fredberg
Harvard University, Boston - Danijela Vignjevic
Institut Curie, Paris - Jonel Trebicka
Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Frankfurt
News
Bioenginyeria per a les teràpies emergents i avançades en el 17è Simposi de l’IBEC
El 17è Simposi anual de l’IBEC es va centrar en ‘Bioenginyeria per a les Teràpies Emergents i Avançades’, una de les àrees clau d’aplicació de l’IBEC. Van ser prop de 300 les persones assistents a l’esdeveniment, entre les quals es trobaven investigadors locals i internacionals. Un ambient multidisciplinari en el qual experts d’altres centres i la mateixa comunitat de l’IBEC van tenir l’oportunitat de presentar els seus projectes i intercanviar coneixement.
Generen cèl·lules líder amb llum
Un estudi liderat per l’Institut de Bioenginyeria de Catalunya (IBEC) ha estudiat el moviment migratori de grups cel·lulars mitjançant control per llum. Els resultats demostren que no existeix una cèl·lula líder que guiï el moviment col·lectiu, com es pensava fins ara, sinó que totes les cèl·lules participen en el procés. Aquests resultats són rellevants a l’hora de dissenyar tractaments per aturar la invasió de tumors o accelerar la curació de ferides, processos fisiològics estretament relacionats amb la migració cel·lular.
Descobreixen com la física de les cèl·lules de càncer colorectal contribueix a la metàstasi
Un estudi liderat per l’IBEC ha demostrat la capacitat de les cèl·lules mare de càncer colorectal per canviar les seves propietats mecàniques, facilitant l’èxit del procés metastàsic. Ho han fet utilitzant organoides de tumors a partir de cèl·lules de pacients. Aquests descobriments podrien contribuir al desenvolupament de noves estratègies per tractar i prevenir la metàstasi en el càncer colorectal.
Xavier Trepat rep el Premi Rei Jaume I en la categoria d’Investigació Biomèdica
El guardó reconeix la tasca investigadora de Trepat, professor de recerca ICREA a l’IBEC. Aquests premis, atorgats per la Fundació Valenciana Premis Rei Jaume I, busquen acostar a la ciència i les empreses entre si per a la promoció de la investigació, el desenvolupament científic i l’emprenedoria a Espanya.
Xavier Trepat guanya el Premi Fundació Lilly de Recerca Biomèdica 2024
Xavier Trepat, professor ICREA de l’IBEC ha estat guardonat en la categoria de recerca preclínica. Amb aquest premi, la Fundació Lilly reconeix el treball de Trepat, distingit per l’aplicació de tècniques i conceptes de la física a les ciències de la salut.
Jobs
Postdoc at the Integrative Cell and Tissue Dynamics Research Group
Ref: XT-PD/Deadline: 18/12/2023
Research assistant at the Integrative Cell and Tissue Dynamics Research Group
Ref: RA_XT/Deadline: 15/06/2023
Senior researcher at the Integrative Cell and Tissue Dynamics Research Group (SRR_XT)
Ref SRR_XT // Deadline : 16/01/2023
Laboratory Technician at the Integrative Cell and Tissue Dynamics Research Group (LT_XT)
Ref: LT-XT // Deadline: January 16th
Postdoc at the Integrative Cell and Tissue Dynamics Research Group (Ref: PD3-XT)
Ref: PD3-XT / Deadline: 20/12/2022
Research Assistant at the Integrative Cell and Tissue Dynamics Group
Ref: RA2-XT // Deadline: 09/12/2022
Postdoc for the synthetic morphogenesis of epithelial tissues at the Integrative Cell and Tissue Dynamics Research Group
Postodoctoral / Deadline: November 23th 2022
Postdoc to the mechanics of cellular monolayers under optogenetic control at the Integrative Cell and Tissue Dynamics Research Group
Postdoctoral / Deadline: 23th November 2022
Research Assistant at the Integrative Cell and Tissue Dynamics Group
Research Assistant / Deadline: November 22nd 2022