Dresden 2026 – scientific programme
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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 16: Membranes, Vesicles and Synthetic Life-like Systems II
BP 16.4: Talk
Wednesday, March 11, 2026, 10:30–10:45, BAR/0205
Synthetic cell-based artificial tissues to study T cell activation — Anna Burgstaller1 and •Oskar Staufer1,2,3 — 1INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Saarbrücken, Germany — 2Campus D2 2 — 3Max Planck Bristol Center for Minimal Biology, Bristol, United Kingdom
T cells integrate biochemical and biophysical cues within lymph nodes, collectively determining activation of adaptive immunity. Quantitatively understanding how mechanical and biochemical signals converge at the single-cell and tissue level requires new model systems. To address this, we developed millimeter-sized artificial lymph nodes assembled from synthetic cells. The mechanical properties of the synthetic cells, specifically their Young*s modulus, can be precisely tuned, while their surfaces can be functionalized with biochemical stimuli. This allows to independently tune their biomechanics and biochemistry. The resulting tissue architecture, including its anisotropy and stiffness, can be engineered to probe emergent, tissue-scale phenomena. Performing live cell microscopy of migrating T-cells within synthetic lymph nodes, we validate that they reproduce in vivo T-cell motility. Statistical modeling of migration trajectories reveals that tissues must support search strategies for effective signal integration and that confinement degree promotes regulatory phenotypes of the T cells. Our synthetic cell-based tissues recapitulate architectural features of lymphatic organs, providing a platform to dissect how mechano-signaling interacts with biochemical cues to shape T-cell immunity
Keywords: Self asssembly; Mechanobiology; Artificial cells; Synthetic tissue; Membrane biophysics