Prof John Connelly
Professor of Bioengineering
CPM grant funding strategy lead and director of CREATE lab,
CPM Theme lead for Skin Models
Blizard Institute
Queen Mary University of London
Queen Mary University of London
Research
skin, 3D bioprinting, mechanobiology, regenerative medicine
Interests
My research group focuses on the repair and regeneration of human skin. We develop novel biomaterials and engineered biosystems to model the skin and employ technologies such as micro-fabrication, engineered hydrogels, and 3D bioprinting. This approach has allowed to uncover fundamental mechanisms of tissue homeostasis and wound repair, and a key are of interest is the role of mechanical and biophysical cues in skin regeneration.Publications of specific relevance to Predictive in vitro Models
2022
Design of an Integrated Microvascularized Human Skin-on-a-Chip Tissue Equivalent ModelJones CFE, Di Cio S, Connelly JT and Gautrot JE
Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, Frontiers Media vol. 10
19-07-2022
Multi-Scale Analysis of the Composition, Structure, and Function of Decellularized Extracellular Matrix for Human Skin and Wound Healing ModelsSarmin AM, Moussaid NE, Suntornnond R, Tyler EJ, Kim Y-H, Di Cio S, Megone WV, Pearce O, Gautrot JE, Dawson J and Connelly JT
Biomolecules, Mdpi vol. 12 (6)
16-06-2022
Extracellular Adhesive Cues Physically Define Nucleolar Structure and FunctionPundel OJ, Blowes LM and Connelly JT
Advanced Science, Wiley vol. 9 (10)
05-02-2022
2021
The keratin network of intermediate filaments regulates keratinocyte rigidity sensing and nuclear mechanotransductionLaly AC, Sliogeryte K, Pundel OJ, Ross R, Keeling MC, Avisetti D, Waseem A, Gavara N and Connelly JT
Science Advances, American Association For The Advancement of Science (Aaas) vol. 7 (5)
27-01-2021
2019
High‐Content Analysis of Cell Migration Dynamics within a Micropatterned Screening PlatformAlmeida FV, Gammon L, Laly AC, Pundel OJ, Bishop CL and Connelly JT
Advanced Biosystems, Wiley, 1900011-1900011.
13-06-2019
2018
Subpopulations of dermal skin fibroblasts secrete distinct extracellular matrix: implications for using skin substitutes in the clinicGhetti M, Topouzi H, Theocharidis G, Papa V, Williams G, Bondioli E, Cenacchi G, Connelly JT and Higgins CA
British Journal of Dermatology, Oxford University Press (Oup) vol. 179 (2), 381-393.
16-05-2018
Tissue stiffening promotes keratinocyte proliferation through activation of epidermal growth factor signalingKenny FN, Drymoussi Z, Delaine-Smith R, Kao AP, Laly AC, Knight MM, Philpott MP and Connelly JT
Journal of Cell Science vol. 131 (10), 215780-215780.
15-05-2018
2017
Deconstruction of a metastatic tumor microenvironment reveals a common matrix response in human cancers.Pearce OMT, Delaine-Smith R, Maniati E, Nichols S, Wang J, Böhm S, Rajeeve V, Ullah D, Chakravarty P, Jones RR, Montfort A, Dowe T, Gribben J, Jones JL, Kocher HM, Serody JS, Vincent BG, Connelly J, Brenton JD, Chelala C, Cutillas PR, Lockley M, Bessant C, Knight M and Balkwill FR
Cancer Discov
01-12-2017
2016
Nuclear actin modulates cell motility via transcriptional regulation of adhesive and cytoskeletal genes.Sharili AS, Kenny FN, Vartiainen MK and Connelly JT
Sci Rep vol. 6, 33893-33893.
21-09-2016
3D nanomechanical evaluations of dermal structures in skin.Kao AP, Connelly JT and Barber AH
Journal of The Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials vol. 57, 14-23.
01-04-2016
Type VI Collagen Regulates Dermal Matrix Assembly and Fibroblast Motility.Theocharidis G, Drymoussi Z, Kao AP, Barber AH, Lee DA, Braun KM and Connelly JT
J Invest Dermatol vol. 136 (1), 74-83.
01-01-2016
2015
The cytolinker plectin regulates nuclear mechanotransduction in keratinocytesAlmeida FV, Walko G, McMillan JR, McGrath JA, Wiche G, Barber AH and Connelly JT
Journal of Cell Science, The Company of Biologists vol. 128 (24), 4475-4486.
02-11-2015
2014
Directing cell migration using micropatterned and dynamically adhesive polymer brushes.Costa P, Gautrot JE and Connelly JT
Acta Biomater vol. 10 (6), 2415-2422.
01-06-2014
2012
Clonal growth of dermal papilla cells in hydrogels reveals intrinsic differences between Sox2-positive and -negative cells in vitro and in vivo.Driskell RR, Juneja VR, Connelly JT, Kretzschmar K, Tan DW-M and Watt FM
J Invest Dermatol vol. 132 (4), 1084-1093.
01-04-2012
Extracellular-matrix tethering regulates stem-cell fateTrappmann B, Gautrot JE, Connelly JT, Strange DGT, Li Y, Oyen ML, Cohen Stuart MA, Boehm H, Li B, Vogel V, Spatz JP, Watt FM and Huck WTS
Nature Materials
01-01-2012
2010
Actin and serum response factor transduce physical cues from the microenvironment to regulate epidermal stem cell fate decisionsConnelly JT, Gautrot JE, Trappmann B, Tan DWM, Donati G, Huck WTS and Watt FM
Nature Cell Biology vol. 12 (7), 711-718.
01-07-2010
Tensile loading modulates bone marrow stromal cell differentiation and the development of engineered fibrocartilage constructs.Connelly JT, Vanderploeg EJ, Mouw JK, Wilson CG and Levenston ME
Tissue Eng Part A vol. 16 (6), 1913-1923.
01-06-2010
2008
Interactions between integrin ligand density and cytoskeletal integrity regulate BMSC chondrogenesis.Connelly JT, García AJ and Levenston ME
J Cell Physiol vol. 217 (1), 145-154.
01-10-2008
2007
Inhibition of in vitro chondrogenesis in RGD-modified three-dimensional alginate gels.Connelly JT, García AJ and Levenston ME
Biomaterials vol. 28 (6), 1071-1083.
01-02-2007
Grants of specific relevance to Predictive in vitro Models
Organ-chip Facility: A world-class in vitro models facility for the UK community, reducing the barriers to adoption to drive animal replacementHazel Screen, Stefaan Verbruggen, Martin Knight, Julia Shelton, Timothy Hopkins and John Connelly
£573,537 NC3Rs National Center for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research
Grant Summary
07-10-2024 - 14-03-2025
Micro-manufacturing of tissue patterned organ-chips for accelerated deployment of new medicinesMartin Knight, Hazel Screen, Julien Gautrot, Timothy Hopkins, John Connelly, Liisa Blowes and Xavier Griffin
£1,787,725 EPSRC Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
Grant Summary
01-10-2024 - 30-09-2027
EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Next Generation Organ-on-a-Chip Technology (COaCT)Hazel Screen, Martin Knight, Thomas Iskratsch, Caroline Roney, Yi Sui, David Lee, Julia Shelton, Zion Tse, John Connelly, Adrian Biddle and Lucy Norling
£7,066,811 EPSRC Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
Grant Summary
01-07-2024 - 30-09-2032
Investigating the utility and exploring biological targets of enhanced wound healing compounds in 2DCleo Bishop and John Connelly
£118,835 BBSRC Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
01-10-2021 - 30-09-2025
Investigating the utility and exploring biological targets of enhanced wound healing compounds in 2DCleo Bishop and John Connelly
£76,000 Unilever UK Ltd
01-10-2021 - 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 bio-printing human pluripotent stem cell-derived skeletal muscle constructs for disease modellingYung-Yao Lin and John Connelly
£91,761 NC3Rs National Center for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research
01-11-2020 - 15-06-2024