DIGS-BB – Dresden International Graduate School for Biomedicine and Bioengineering / Research / Research Groups / Elisabeth Fischer-Friedrich

PhD Spring Selection 2025

call is closed

Elisabeth Fischer-Friedrich Group

Mechanics of active biomaterials

Our group is mainly interested in the following questions

How does mechanical stress modify mechanical parameters of biological material, and how is this exploited for biological function?
How does mechanical stress impact on the growth of cells and tissues?

Elisabeth Fischer-Friedrich Research: Figure — Figure: We investigate mitotic rounding and proliferation before and after epithelial-mesenchymal transition in tumor spheroids of human breast epithelial cells (MCF-7). The green box highlights a dividing cell.

Future Projects and Goals

Current research foci in my lab are

Measurement of the mechanical properties of the actin cell cortex of live cells
The influence of cell mechanics on mitotic rounding and cell division in cancer cells
The effect of mechanical tension on the binding dynamics of actin-associated proteins
Study of mechanical stresses in tissue development

Methodological and Technical Expertise

Our method set includes

Atomic force microscopy and optical tweezer
Cell culture and basic related biochemical methods
Optical microscopy
Continuum mechanics and concepts of viscoelasticity
Theory of dynamical systems and Mathematical modelling

Currently Recruiting

Elisabeth Fischer-Friedrich is recruiting in the PhD Spring Selection 2025 (call is closed)

Open Project

Regulation of epithelial cell shape through distinct surface tensions
Preferred Course of Study/Expertise of Candidate: Biophysics, Physics, Biology, Biotechnology

CV

Since February 2023
Heisenberg chair (tenure track) at the Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life (PoL), TU Dresden

Since 2019
Group leader at the Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life (PoL), TU Dresden

2017–2019
Group leader at BIOTEC, TU Dresden

2011–2016
Postdoctoral work jointly at the Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden and the Max-Planck-Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden

2009–2011
Postdoctoral work at the Weizmann Institute of Sciences, Israel

2005–2009
PhD work at the Max-Planck-Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden

1999–2004
Physics studies at Leipzig University

More Information

TUD PoL TUD BIOTEC

Selected Publications

Hosseini K, Sbosny L, Poser I, Fischer-Friedrich E
Binding dynamics of α-actinin-4 in dependence of actin cortex tension
Biophysical Journal 119, p. 1091-1107 (2020)
Download the matlab image analysis script used in this publication (ZIP archive, 64 KB)

Hosseini K, Taubenberger A, Werner C, Fischer-Friedrich E
EMT-induced cell mechanical changes enhance mitotic rounding strength
Advanced Science 7, 2001276 (2020)

Mokbel M, Hosseini K, Aland S, Fischer-Friedrich E
The Poisson ratio of the cellular actin cortex is frequency-dependent
Biophysical Journal, 118, p. 1968–1976 (2020)

Jawerth L, Fischer-Friedrich E, Saha S, Wang J, Franzmann T, Zhang X, Sachweh J, Ruer M, Ijavi M, Saha S, Mahamid J, Hyman AA, Jülicher F
Protein condensates as aging Maxwell fluids
Science 370, p. 1317-1323 (2020)

Jawerth L, Ijavi M, Ruer M, Saha S, Hyman A, Jülicher F, Fischer-Friedrich E
Salt-dependent rheology and surface tension of protein condensates using optical tweezers
PRL 121: 258101 (2018)

Contact

TUD Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life (PoL)
Tatzberg 47/49
01307 Dresden