Prof Thomas Iskratsch
Professor of Cardiovascular Mechanobiology and Bioengineering
CPM Industrial Engagement and Partnerships Lead,
CPM Theme lead for Cardiovascular Models
School of Engineering and Materials Science
Queen Mary University of London
Queen Mary University of London
Research
Cardiovascular Mechanobiology, Mechanosensing, Cardiovascular Disease, Micro-/Nanopatterning, 3D models
Interests
Cells in the cardiovascular system react to the changing mechanical stimuli. This affects their behaviour and can trigger cardiovascular disease onset and progression. We are studying cellular mechanosensing in cardiomyocytes and vascular smooth muscle cells, in 2D and 3D in vitro models and using tools to apply or measure forces (AFM, nanoindentation, nanopillars, pressure stimulation), as well as super-resolution or high content imaging and automated image analysis. This allows us to dissect cellular pathways of mechanosignalling and identify novel therapeutic targets, or to develop improved drug testing platforms.Publications
Publications of specific relevance to Predictive in vitro Models2024
Padilla‐Lopategui S, Ligorio C, Bu W, Yin C, Laurenza D, Redondo C, Owen R, Sun H, Rose FRAJ, Iskratsch T and Mata A (2024). Biocooperative Regenerative Materials by Harnessing Blood‐Clotting and Peptide Self‐Assembly. Wiley Advanced Materials Swiatlowska P, Iskratsch T and Shanahan C (2024). Mechano-epigenetic regulation of vascular smooth muscle cell phenotype in atherosclerosis. Elsevier Atherosclerosis vol. 395, 
Fromager B, Cambedouzou J, Marhuenda E, Iskratsch T, Pinault M, Bakalara N and Cornu D (2024). Tunable electrospun scaffolds of polyacrylonitrile loaded with carbon nanotubes: from synthesis to biological applications. Wiley ChemBioChem vol. 25, (7) Swiatlowska P, Tipping W, Marhuenda E, Severi P, Fomin V, Yang Z, Xiao Q, Graham D, Shanahan C and Iskratsch T (2024). Hypertensive Pressure Mechanosensing Alone Triggers Lipid Droplet Accumulation and Transdifferentiation of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells to Foam Cells (Adv. Sci. 9/2024). Wiley Advanced Science vol. 11, (9) Faleeva M, Ahmad S, Theofilatos K, Lynham S, Watson G, Whitehead M, Marhuenda E, Iskratsch T, Cox S and Shanahan CM (2024). Sox9 Accelerates Vascular Aging by Regulating Extracellular Matrix Composition and Stiffness. Wolters Kluwer Circulation Research vol. 134, (3) 307-324. Zheng T, O'Neill C, Marshall JF, Iskratsch T and Palma M (2024). Selective Placement of Functionalised DNA Origami via Thermal Scanning Probe Lithography Patterning. Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Materials Advances 2023
Iskratsch T, Swiatlowska P, Tipping W, Marhuenda E, Severi P, Fomin V, Yang Z, Xiao Q, Graham D and Shanahan C (2023). Hypertensive pressure mechanosensing alone triggers lipid droplet accumulation and
transdifferentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells to foam cells. Wiley Open Access Advanced Science Ross JA, Arcos-Villacis N, Battey E, Boogerd C, Orellana CA, Marhuenda E, Swiatlowska P, Hodzic D, Prin F, Mohun T, Catibog N, Tapia O, Gerace L, Iskratsch T, Shah AM and Stroud MJ (2023). Lem2 is essential for cardiac development by maintaining nuclear integrity. Oxford University Press (OUP) Cardiovascular Research vol. 119, (11) 2074-2088. Swiatlowska P and Iskratsch T (2023). Cardiovascular Mechano-Epigenetics: Force-Dependent Regulation of Histone Modifications and Gene Regulation. Springer Nature Cardiovascular Drugs and Therapy vol. 38, (2) 215-222. Battey E, Ross JA, Hoang A, Wilson DGS, Han Y, Levy Y, Pollock RD, Kalakoutis M, Pugh JN, Close GL, Ellison‐Hughes GM, Lazarus NR, Iskratsch T, Harridge SDR, Ochala J and Stroud MJ (2023). Myonuclear alterations associated with exercise are independent of age in humans. Wiley The Journal of Physiology 2022
Jacques R, Zhou B, Marhuenda E, Gorecki J, Das A, Iskratsch T and Krause S (2022). Photoelectrochemical imaging of single cardiomyocytes and monitoring of their action potentials through contact force manipulation of organoids. Elsevier Biosensors and Bioelectronics Iskratsch T, Hawkes W, Marhuenda E, Reynolds P, O'Neill C, PANDEY P, Wilson D, FREELEY M, HUANG D, Junquiang H, Gondarenko S, Hone J, Gadegaard N and Palma M (2022). Regulation of Cardiomyocyte Adhesion and
Mechanosignalling Through Distinct Nanoscale Behaviour of
Integrin Ligands Mimicking Healthy or Fibrotic ECM. The Royal Society Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences Iskratsch T, Wilson D and Tinker A (2022). The role of the dystrophin glycoprotein complex in muscle cell mechanotransduction. Nature Research Communications Biology Swiatlowska P, Sit BHM, Zhen F, Marhuenda E, Xanthis I, Zingaro S, Ward M, Zhou X, Xiao Q, Shanahan C, Jones G, Yu C-H and Iskratsch T (2022). Pressure and stiffness sensing together regulate vascular smooth muscle cell phenotype switching. American Association for the Advancement of Science Science Advances Wilson DGS and Iskratsch T (2022). Factoring in the force: A novel role for eIF6. The Journal of cell biology vol. 221, (2) 2021
Swiatlowska P and Iskratsch T (2021). Cardiovascular mechanobiology—a Special Issue to look at the state of the art and the newest insights into the role of mechanical forces in cardiovascular development, physiology and disease. Springer (part of Springer Nature) Biophysical Reviews vol. 13, (5) 575-577. Swiatlowska P and Iskratsch T (2021). Tools for studying and modulating (cardiac muscle) cell mechanics and mechanosensing across the scales. Springer Nature Biophysical Reviews vol. 13, (5) 611-623. Swiatlowska P and Iskratsch T (2021). Announcing the call for the Special Issue on “Cardiovascular mechanobiology—a special issue to look at the state of the art and the newest insights into the role of mechanical forces in cardiovascular development, physiology, and disease”. Springer Nature Biophysical Reviews vol. 13, (3) 307-308. Marhuenda E, Fabre C, Zhang C, Martin-Fernandez M, Iskratsch T, Saleh A, Bauchet L, Cambedouzou J, Hugnot JP, Duffau H, Dennis JW, Cornu D and Bakalara N (2021). Glioma stem cells invasive phenotype at optimal stiffness is driven by MGAT5 dependent mechanosensing. Journal of Experimental and Clinical Cancer Research vol. 40, (1) 2020
(2020). Cell scientist to watch – Thomas Iskratsch. The Company of Biologists Journal of Cell Science vol. 133, (15) 2019
Di Cio S, Iskratsch T, Connelly JT and Gautrot JE (2019). Contractile myosin rings and cofilin-mediated actin disassembly orchestrate ECM nanotopography sensing. Elsevier Biomaterials vol. 232, Xanthis I and Iskratsch T (2019). Lamin-A Mechano-Protects the Heart. Developmental Cell Pedrosa A-R, BODRUG N, Gomez-Escudero J, Carter EP, Reynolds LE, Georgiou PN, Fernandez I, Lees DM, Kostourou V, Alexopoulou AN, Batista S, Tavora B, Serrels B, Parsons M, Iskratsch T and Hodivala-Dilke K (2019). Tumour angiogenesis is differentially regulated by endothelial cell Focal Adhesion Kinase tyrosine-397 and -861 phosphorylation. American Association for Cancer Research Cancer Research Sit B, Gutmann D and Iskratsch T (2019). Costameres, dense plaques and podosomes: the cell matrix adhesions in cardiovascular mechanosensing. Springer Nature Journal of Muscle Research and Cell Motility vol. 40, (2) 197-209. Hawkes W, Huang D, Reynolds P, Hammond L, Ward M, Gadegaard N, Marshall JF, Iskratch T and Palma M (2019). Probing the nanoscale organisation and multivalency of cell surface receptors: DNA origami nanoarrays for cellular studies with single-molecule control. Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Faraday Discussions Ward M and Iskratsch T (2019). Mix and (mis-)match – The mechanosensing machinery in the changing environment of the developing, healthy adult and diseased heart. Elsevier Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Molecular Cell Research vol. 1867, (3) 2018
Ciuba K, Hawkes W, Tojkander S, Kogan K, Engel U, ISKRATSCH T and Lappalainen P (2018). Calponin-3 is critical for coordinated contractility of actin stress fibers. Nature Publishing Group Scientific Reports Pandey P, Hawkes W, Hu J, Megone WV, Gautrot J, Anilkumar N, Zhang M, Hirvonen L, Cox S, Ehler E, Hone J, Sheetz M and Iskratsch T (2018). Cardiomyocytes Sense Matrix Rigidity through a Combination of Muscle and Non-muscle Myosin Contractions. Dev Cell vol. 44, (3) 326-336.e3. 2017
Lee NM, Erisken C, Iskratsch T, Sheetz M, Levine WN and Lu HH (2017). Polymer fiber-based models of connective tissue repair and healing. Biomaterials vol. 112, 303-312. 2016
Santos LC, Blair DA, Kumari S, Cammer M, Iskratsch T, Herbin O, Alexandropoulos K, Dustin ML and Sheetz MP (2016). Actin polymerization-dependent activation of Cas-L promotes immunological synapse stability. Immunol Cell Biol vol. 94, (10) 981-993. Meacci G, Wolfenson H, Liu S, Stachowiak MR, Iskratsch T, Mathur A, Ghassemi S, Gauthier N, Tabdanov E, Lohner J, Gondarenko A, Chander AC, Roca-Cusachs P, O'Shaughnessy B, Hone J and Sheetz MP (2016). α-Actinin links extracellular matrix rigidity-sensing contractile units with periodic cell-edge retractions. Mol Biol Cell vol. 27, (22) 3471-3479. 2015
Wolfenson H, Meacci G, Liu S, Stachowiak MR, Iskratsch T, Ghassemi S, Roca-Cusachs P, O'Shaughnessy B, Hone J and Sheetz MP (2015). Tropomyosin controls sarcomere-like contractions for rigidity sensing and suppressing growth on soft matrices. Nat Cell Biol vol. 18, (1) 33-42. Tabdanov E, Gondarenko S, Kumari S, Liapis A, Dustin ML, Sheetz MP, Kam LC and Iskratsch T (2015). Micropatterning of TCR and LFA-1 ligands reveals complementary effects on cytoskeleton mechanics in T cells. Integr Biol (Camb) vol. 7, (10) 1272-1284. 2014
Wolfenson H, Iskratsch T and Sheetz MP (2014). Early Events in Cell Spreading as a Model for Quantitative Analysis of Biomechanical Events. Elsevier Biophysical Journal vol. 107, (11) 2508-2514. Iskratsch T, Wolfenson H and Sheetz MP (2014). Appreciating force and shape—the rise of mechanotransduction in cell biology. Nature reviews. Molecular cell biology vol. 15, (12) 825-833. Dwyer J, Pluess M, Iskratsch T, Dos Remedios CG and Ehler E (2014). The formin FHOD1 in cardiomyocytes. Anat Rec (Hoboken) vol. 297, (9) 1560-1570. Zhang X, Moore SW, Iskratsch T and Sheetz MP (2014). N-WASP-directed actin polymerization activates Cas phosphorylation and lamellipodium spreading. The Company of Biologists Journal of Cell Science vol. 127, (7) 1394-1405. 2013
Iskratsch T, Yu C-H, Mathur A, Liu S, Stévenin V, Dwyer J, Hone J, Ehler E and Sheetz M (2013). FHOD1 Is Needed for Directed Forces and Adhesion Maturation during Cell Spreading and Migration. Elsevier Developmental Cell vol. 27, (5) 545-559. 2012
Lynch CD, Lazar AM, Iskratsch T, Zhang X and Sheetz MP (2012). Endoplasmic spreading requires coalescence of vimentin intermediate filaments at force-bearing adhesions. American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) Molecular Biology of the Cell vol. 24, (1) 21-30. Iskratsch T, Reijntjes S, Dwyer J, Toselli P, Dégano IR, Dominguez I and Ehler E (2012). Two distinct phosphorylation events govern the function of muscle FHOD3. Springer Nature Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences vol. 70, (5) 893-908. Roca-Cusachs P, Iskratsch T and Sheetz MP (2012). Finding the weakest link – exploring integrin-mediated mechanical molecular pathways. The Company of Biologists Journal of Cell Science vol. 125, (13) 3025-3038. 2011
Dwyer J, Iskratsch T and Ehler E (2011). Actin in striated muscle: recent insights into assembly and maintenance. Springer Nature Biophysical Reviews vol. 4, (1) 17-25. Iskratsch T and Ehler E (2011). Formin-g muscle cytoarchitecture. Taylor & Francis BioArchitecture vol. 1, (2) 66-68. 2010
Iskratsch T, Lange S, Dwyer J, Kho AL, Remedios CD and Ehler E (2010). Formin follows function: a muscle-specific isoform of FHOD3 is regulated by CK2 phosphorylation and promotes myofibril maintenance. Rockefeller University Press The Journal of General Physiology vol. 137, (1) i1-i1. Iskratsch T, Lange S, Dwyer J, Kho AL, dos Remedios C and Ehler E (2010). Formin follows function: a muscle-specific isoform of FHOD3 is regulated by CK2 phosphorylation and promotes myofibril maintenance. Rockefeller University Press Journal of Cell Biology vol. 191, (6) 1159-1172. 2009
Herbst R, Iskratsch T, Unger E and Bittner RE (2009). Aberrant development of neuromuscular junctions in glycosylation-defective Largemyd mice. Elsevier Neuromuscular Disorders vol. 19, (5) 366-378. Gutternigg M, Rendić D, Voglauer R, Iskratsch T and Wilson IBH (2009). Mammalian cells contain a second nucleocytoplasmic hexosaminidase. Portland Press Biochemical Journal vol. 419, (1) 83-90. 2008
Iskratsch T, Braun A, Paschinger K and Wilson IBH (2008). Specificity analysis of lectins and antibodies using remodeled glycoproteins. Elsevier Analytical Biochemistry vol. 386, (2) 133-146. Grants
Grants of specific relevance to Predictive in vitro ModelsThe role of novel mechanosensitive complex in cardiomyocyte pathophysiologyThomas Iskratsch and Andrew Tinker
£254,588 BHF British Heart Foundation (01-10-2024 - 30-09-2027)
(EPSRC CDT 2023) Next Generation Organ-on-a-Chip TechnologiesHazel Screen, Martin Knight, Thomas Iskratsch, Caroline Roney, Yi Sui, David Lee, Julia Shelton, Tsz Ho Tse, John Connelly, Adrian Biddle and Lucy Norling
£7,066,811 EPSRC Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (01-07-2024 - 30-09-2032)
Talin dependent mechanical imprinting as driver for cardiac disease progressionThomas Iskratsch
£231,663 BHF British Heart Foundation (22-01-2024 - 21-01-2027)
Thermochemical patterning to generate Bionanoarrays: Studentship Rachel SmythThomas Iskratsch
£9,000 Heidelberg Instruments Nano AG (18-01-2024 - 17-01-2027)
Artery-on-a-Chip (S&E flexible match-funded PhD studentship)Thomas Iskratsch
£103,372 Novo Nordisk Foundation (Denmark) (01-01-2024 - 31-12-2026)
Development of functional 3D eccrine sweat gland modelThomas Iskratsch and John Connelly
£79,541 Unilever UK Ltd (04-10-2021 - 03-10-2024)