Prof John Connelly
Professor of Bioengineering
CPM Lead for Research Strategy and Director of CREATE lab
Blizard Institute
Queen Mary University of London
Queen Mary University of London
Research
skin, 3D bioprinting, mechanobiology, regenerative medicine, wound healing
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
2025
Development of Human Skin Equivalents with Inducible Ceramide Depletion for In Vitro Modeling of Lipid ImpairmentDina DO, Maiellaro M, Camera E
Jid Innovations, Elsevier vol. 5 (4)
14-05-2025
Engineered human myogenic cells in hydrogels generate innervated vascularized myofibers within dystrophic mouse muscle on long-term engraftmentKowala A, Boot J, Meng J, Mein CA, Pourquié O, Connelly JT, Morgan JE, Lin Y-Y
Cell Reports Medicine, Elsevier Bv, 102019-102019.
07-03-2025
Replicating Dynamic Immune Responses at Single‐Cell Resolution within a Microfluidic Human Skin EquivalentHindle SA, Brook HB, Chrysanthou A, Chambers ES, Caley MP, Connelly JT
Advanced Science, Wiley vol. 12 (10)
21-01-2025
2022
Design of an Integrated Microvascularized Human Skin-on-a-Chip Tissue Equivalent ModelJones CFE, Di Cio S, Connelly JT, 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 et al.
Biomolecules, Mdpi vol. 12 (6)
16-06-2022
Fabrication of Human Skin Equivalents Using Decellularized Extracellular MatrixSarmin AM, Connelly JT
Current Protocols, Wiley vol. 2 (3)
01-03-2022
Extracellular Adhesive Cues Physically Define Nucleolar Structure and FunctionPundel OJ, Blowes LM, Connelly JT
Advanced Science, Wiley vol. 9 (10)
05-02-2022
2021
Towards More Predictive, Physiological and Animal-free In Vitro Models: Advances in Cell and Tissue Culture 2020 Conference ProceedingsSingh B, Abdelgawad ME, Ali Z, Bailey J, Budyn E, Civita P, Clift MJD, Connelly JT et al.
Alternatives to Laboratory Animals, Sage Publications vol. 49 (3), 93-110.
01-05-2021
An interfacial self-assembling bioink for the manufacturing of capillary-like structures with tuneable and anisotropic permeability.Biofabrication, Iop Publishing vol. 13 (3)
08-04-2021
Regulation of collective cell polarity and migration using dynamically adhesive micropatterned substratesCosta P, Blowes LM, Laly AC, Connelly JT
Acta Biomaterialia, Elsevier vol. 126, 291-300.
16-03-2021
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 et al.
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, 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 et al.
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, Connelly JT
Journal of Cell Science, The Company of Biologists vol. 131 (10)
15-05-2018
2016
Nuclear actin modulates cell motility via transcriptional regulation of adhesive and cytoskeletal genes.Sharili AS, Kenny FN, Vartiainen MK, Connelly JT
Sci Rep vol. 6, 33893-33893.
21-09-2016
Type VI Collagen Regulates Dermal Matrix Assembly and Fibroblast MotilityTheocharidis G, Drymoussi Z, Kao AP, Barber AH, Lee DA, Braun KM, Connelly JT
Journal of Investigative Dermatology 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, 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, 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, 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, Oyen ML, Cohen Stuart MA, Boehm H, Li B et al.
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, 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, 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, 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, Levenston ME
Biomaterials vol. 28 (6), 1071-1083.
01-02-2007
Grants of specific relevance to Predictive in vitro Models
Human Tendon-CHIP: Novel In Vitro Predictive Models To Explore TendinopathyHazel Screen, Xavier Griffin and John Connelly
£668,842 Medical Research Council
01-08-2025 - 31-07-2028
Investigating perfused inflammatory and immune responses in 3D barrier-immune models for atopic dermatitisJohn Connelly
£196,508 GlaxoSmithKline UK Ltd
01-02-2025 - 31-01-2026
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 Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
Grant Summary
01-07-2024 - 30-09-2032
Targeting epigenetic gene regulation in epidermolysis bullosa simplexJohn Connelly, Julien Gautrot and David Kelsell
£199,751 Action Medical Research
01-06-2023 - 31-05-2026
Biophysical regulation of nucleolar structure and function in senescent cells and ageingJohn Connelly and Cleo Bishop
£554,319 BBSRC Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
15-05-2023 - 14-05-2026
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 Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research
Grant Summary
07-10-2024 - 14-03-2025
Development of functional 3D eccrine sweat gland modelThomas Iskratsch and John Connelly
£79,541 Unilever UK Ltd
04-10-2021 - 03-10-2024
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
Engineering a human microphysiological platform for modelling soft tissue injury and regenerationYung-Yao Lin, Julien Gautrot and John Connelly
£100,000 NC3Rs National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research
06-01-2021 - 16-06-2021