Dr Thomas Iskratsch

Thomas Iskratsch

Reader in Cardiovascular Mechanobiology and Bioengineering

School of Engineering and Materials Science
Queen Mary University of London
+44 (0)20 7882 3674

www.sems.qmul.ac.uk/t.iskratsch

Publications

Publications of specific relevance to

2024

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.     10.1002/adma.202407156
Swiatlowska P, Iskratsch T and Shanahan C (2024). Mechano-epigenetic regulation of vascular smooth muscle cell phenotype in atherosclerosis.     vol. 395, 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2024.118395
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.     vol. 25, (7) 10.1002/cbic.202300768
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).     vol. 11, (9) 10.1002/advs.202470050
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.     vol. 134, (3) 307-324. 10.1161/circresaha.123.323365
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.     10.1039/d4ma00828f

2023

Swiatlowska P, Tipping W, Marhuenda E, Severi P, Fomin V, Yang Z, Xiao Q, Graham D, Shanahan C and Iskratsch T (2023). Hypertensive Pressure Mechanosensing Alone Triggers Lipid Droplet Accumulation and Transdifferentiation of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells to Foam Cells.     vol. 11, (9) 10.1002/advs.202308686
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.     vol. 119, (11) 2074-2088. 10.1093/cvr/cvad061
Swiatlowska P and Iskratsch T (2023). Cardiovascular Mechano-Epigenetics: Force-Dependent Regulation of Histone Modifications and Gene Regulation.     vol. 38, (2) 215-222. 10.1007/s10557-022-07422-z
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.     10.1113/jp284128

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.     10.1016/j.bios.2022.115024
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.     10.1098/rstb.2022.0021
Iskratsch T, Wilson D and Tinker A (2022). The role of the dystrophin glycoprotein complex in muscle cell mechanotransduction.     10.1038/s42003-022-03980-y
Swiatlowska P, Sit B, Feng Z, Marhuenda E, Xanthis I, Zingaro S, Ward M, Zhou X, Xiao Q, Shanahan C, Jones GE, Yu C-H and Iskratsch T (2022). Pressure and stiffness sensing together regulate vascular smooth muscle cell phenotype switching.   vol. 8, (15) 10.1126/sciadv.abm3471
Wilson DGS and Iskratsch T (2022). Factoring in the force: A novel role for eIF6.   vol. 221, (2) 10.1083/jcb.202201002

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.     vol. 13, (5) 575-577. 10.1007/s12551-021-00842-5
Swiatlowska P and Iskratsch T (2021). Tools for studying and modulating (cardiac muscle) cell mechanics and mechanosensing across the scales.     vol. 13, (5) 611-623. 10.1007/s12551-021-00837-2
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”.     vol. 13, (3) 307-308. 10.1007/s12551-021-00800-1
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.   vol. 40, (1) 10.1186/s13046-021-01925-7

2020

(2020). Cell scientist to watch – Thomas Iskratsch.     vol. 133, (15) 10.1242/jcs.251595

2019

Di Cio S, Iskratsch T, Connelly JT and Gautrot JE (2019). Contractile myosin rings and cofilin-mediated actin disassembly orchestrate ECM nanotopography sensing.     vol. 232, 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2019.119683
Xanthis I and Iskratsch T (2019). Lamin-A Mechano-Protects the Heart.   10.1016/j.devcel.2019.05.041
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.     10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-18-3934
Sit B, Gutmann D and Iskratsch T (2019). Costameres, dense plaques and podosomes: the cell matrix adhesions in cardiovascular mechanosensing.     vol. 40, (2) 197-209. 10.1007/s10974-019-09529-7
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.     10.1039/c9fd00023b
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.     vol. 1867, (3) 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2019.01.017

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.     10.1038/s41598-018-35948-6
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.   vol. 44, (3) 326-336.e3. 10.1016/j.devcel.2017.12.024

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.   vol. 112, 303-312. 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2016.10.013

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.   vol. 94, (10) 981-993. 10.1038/icb.2016.61
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.   vol. 27, (22) 3471-3479. 10.1091/mbc.E16-02-0107

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.   vol. 18, (1) 33-42. 10.1038/ncb3277
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.   vol. 7, (10) 1272-1284. 10.1039/c5ib00032g

2014

Wolfenson H, Iskratsch T and Sheetz MP (2014). Early Events in Cell Spreading as a Model for Quantitative Analysis of Biomechanical Events.     vol. 107, (11) 2508-2514. 10.1016/j.bpj.2014.10.041
Iskratsch T, Wolfenson H and Sheetz MP (2014). Appreciating force and shape—the rise of mechanotransduction in cell biology.   vol. 15, (12) 825-833. 10.1038/nrm3903
Dwyer J, Pluess M, Iskratsch T, Dos Remedios CG and Ehler E (2014). The formin FHOD1 in cardiomyocytes.   vol. 297, (9) 1560-1570. 10.1002/ar.22984
Zhang X, Moore SW, Iskratsch T and Sheetz MP (2014). N-WASP-directed actin polymerization activates Cas phosphorylation and lamellipodium spreading.     vol. 127, (7) 1394-1405. 10.1242/jcs.134692

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.     vol. 27, (5) 545-559. 10.1016/j.devcel.2013.11.003

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.     vol. 24, (1) 21-30. 10.1091/mbc.e12-05-0377
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.     vol. 70, (5) 893-908. 10.1007/s00018-012-1154-7
Roca-Cusachs P, Iskratsch T and Sheetz MP (2012). Finding the weakest link – exploring integrin-mediated mechanical molecular pathways.     vol. 125, (13) 3025-3038. 10.1242/jcs.095794

2011

Dwyer J, Iskratsch T and Ehler E (2011). Actin in striated muscle: recent insights into assembly and maintenance.     vol. 4, (1) 17-25. 10.1007/s12551-011-0062-7
Iskratsch T and Ehler E (2011). Formin-g muscle cytoarchitecture.     vol. 1, (2) 66-68. 10.4161/bioa.1.2.15467

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.     vol. 137, (1) i1-i1. 10.1085/jgp1371oia1
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.     vol. 191, (6) 1159-1172. 10.1083/jcb.201005060

2009

Herbst R, Iskratsch T, Unger E and Bittner RE (2009). Aberrant development of neuromuscular junctions in glycosylation-defective Largemyd mice.     vol. 19, (5) 366-378. 10.1016/j.nmd.2009.02.011
Gutternigg M, Rendić D, Voglauer R, Iskratsch T and Wilson IBH (2009). Mammalian cells contain a second nucleocytoplasmic hexosaminidase.     vol. 419, (1) 83-90. 10.1042/bj20081630

2008

Iskratsch T, Braun A, Paschinger K and Wilson IBH (2008). Specificity analysis of lectins and antibodies using remodeled glycoproteins.     vol. 386, (2) 133-146. 10.1016/j.ab.2008.12.005

Grants

Grants of specific relevance to
Artery-on-a-Chip (S&E flexible match-funded PhD studentship)
Iskratsch T
£103,372 Novo Nordisk Foundation (Denmark) (01-01-2024 - 31-12-2026)
Talin dependent mechanical imprinting as driver for cardiac disease progression
Iskratsch T
£718,167 British Heart Foundation (01-01-2024 - 31-12-2026)
Nanobioarrays to screen for modulators of mechanosensing in heart failure
Iskratsch T and Kotalakshminaraasimulu N
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (30-09-2022 - 30-03-2026)
Summary


The role of novel mechanosensitive complex in cardiomyocyte pathophysiology
Iskratsch T
£285,532 British Heart Foundation (01-10-2024 - 30-09-2024)
Coupling optical tweezers with light microscopy to unravel the mechanobiology of disease
Garcia-Manyes S, Iskratsch T, Elosegui Artola A, Tiago C, Gentleman E, Parsons M, Booth P, Blackburn B and PARACUELLOS TORRECILLA P
£707,768 Medical Research Council (01-08-2023 - 29-02-2024)
The regulation of mechanosensing in healthy and atherosclerotic vascular smooth muscle cells
Swiatlowska P and Iskratsch T
£238,020 British Heart Foundation (01-12-2020 - 30-11-2023)
3D Photoelectrochemical imaging in porous light-addressable structures
Krause SK, Zhou B and Iskratsch T
£202,249 Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (01-02-2021 - 31-10-2022)
Investigating the cardiomyocyte rigidity sensing mechanism with micro patterned surfaces and nanopillars
Iskratsch T
£490,544 Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (01-02-2019 - 31-01-2022)
Summary
Actin polymerization during myofibrillogenesis and its regulation by mechanosensing
Iskratsch T
USD92,000 American Heart Association (01-01-2013 - 31-12-2014)
Summary