PD. Dr. Jacopo Di Russo
Jacopo Di Russo’s research focuses on uncovering the intricate role of cell-extracellular matrix and cell-cell communication in mechanobiological processes, particularly how these interactions shape cellular behavior and tissue function. By integrating expertise from cell biology, chemistry, and physics, his team seeks to understand how mechanical forces regulate tissue function over time and contribute to the progression of pathological states. In close synergy with DWI, his work also involves designing and optimizing hydrogel substrates to engineer stem-cell-based models, guiding their function to challenge tissue plasticity and decode the biology at the cell-material interface.
Curriculum Vitae
Jacopo Di Russo studied cell biology in Florence (Italy) before joining the laboratory of Prof. Lydia Sorkin in Muenster (Germany) as a Marie Curie Fellow. There, he investigated how the extracellular matrix influences physiological responses. In 2015, he joined the laboratory of Prof. Joachim Spatz at the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research in Heidelberg (Germany), where he deepened his knowledge of cell adhesion at the biophysical level. Since 2019, he has been an independent group leader at the Medical Faculty of RWTH Aachen University (webpage).
Publications
| Titel/Autoren | DOI-LINK | Magazine | Jahre | |
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Cell loss disrupts mechanical homeostasis to drive retinal pigment epithelium ageing-like phenotype in vitro
Piskova, Teodora; Kozyrina, Aleksandra N.; Astrauskaite, Giedrė; Mabrouk, Mohamed Elsafi; Schepl, Sebastian; Yam, Stacy Lok Sze; Ravithas, Ragul; Wagner, Wolfgang; Vassalli, Massimo; Di Russo, Jacopo
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https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.05.22.655517 | BioRxiv | 2025 | |
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Laminin-Defined Mechanical Status Modulates Retinal Pigment Epithelium Phagocytosis
A. N. Kozyrina, T. Piskova, F. Semeraro, I. C. Doolaar, T. Prapty, T. Haraszti, M. Hubert, R. Windoffer, R. E. Leube, A.-S. Smith and J. Di Russo
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https://doi.org/10.1038/s44319-025-00475-9 | EMBO reports | 2025 | |
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Microgels Enable iPSCs to Assemble, Expand, and Differentiate Into Organoids — From Sizable to High Throughput
L. Klasen, M. Mork, R. Nasehi, V. T. Krishnamurthy, K. Zeevaert, A. Babendreyer, J. Di Russo, W. Wagner and L. De Laporte
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https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.10.20.683388 | bioRxiv (Preprint) | 2025 | |
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Microgels Enable iPSCs to Assemble, Expand, and Differentiate Into Organoids — From Sizable to High Throughput
L. Klasen, M. Mork, R. Nasehi, V. T. Krishnamurthy, K. Zeevaert, A. Babendreyer, J. Di Russo, W. Wagner, L. De Laporte
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https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.10.20.683388 | bioRxiv Preprint | 2025 | |
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Photodegradable Hydrogels for On-Demand Modeling of Age-Related Spatiotemporal ECM Deformation
Felix Reul, Cédric Bergerbit, Iulia Scarlat, Teodora Piskova, Vasudha Turuvekere Krishnamurthy, Aleksandra Kozyrina, Stacy Lok Sze Yam, Laura De Laporte, Jacopo Di Russo
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https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.07.28.667183 | bioRxiv 2025.07.28.667183 | 2025 | |
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ZO-1/Tjp1 and ZO-2/Tjp2 deletion in retinal pigment epithelium causes progressive retinal degeneration
Safiah Mohamed Ali, Bhav Harshad Parikh, Queenie Shu Woon Tan, Barbara Hübner, Aleksandra N. Kozyrina, Animesh Banerjee, Jie Zhao, Debbie Goh, Hanumakumar Bogireddi, Sia Wey Yeo, Daniel Soo Lin Wong, Jianliang Xu, Kim Chi Tran, Zengping Liu, Yun-Zheng Le10 ∙ Veluchamy Amutha Barathi, Kang Hao Cheong, Jacopo Di Russo, Alexander Ludwig, Walter Hunziker, Xinyi Su
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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2025.113673 | iScience | 2025 | |
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A Keratin Code Defines the Textile Nature of Epithelial Tissue Architecture
J. Di Russo, T. M. Magin and R. E. Leube
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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceb.2023.102236 | Current Opinion in Cell Biology | 2023 | |
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Actuation of Soft Thermoresponsive Hydrogels Mechanically Stimulates Osteogenesis in Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells without Biochemical Factors
A. Castro Nava, I. C. Doolaar, N. Labude-Weber, H. Malyaran, S. Babu, Y. Chandorkar, J. Di Russo, S. Neuss and L. De Laporte
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https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.3c11808 | ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces | 2023 | |
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Mechanobiological Implications of Age-Related Remodelling in the Outer Retina
T. Piskova, A. N. Kozyrina and J. Di Russo
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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bioadv.2023.213343 | Biomaterials Advances | 2023 | |
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Cells Feel the Beat – Temporal Effect of Cyclic Mechanical Actuation on Muscle Cells
Y. Chandorkar, C. Bastard, J. Di Russo, T. Haraszti and L. De Laporte
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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmt.2022.101492 | Applied Materials Today | 2022 | |
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Combining Image Restoration and Traction Force Microscopy to Study Extracellular Matrix-Dependent Keratin Filament Network Plasticity
S. Yoon, R. Windoffer, A. N. Kozyrina, T. Piskova, J. Di Russo and R. E. Leube
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https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2022.901038 | Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology | 2022 | |
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How do the Local Physical, Biochemical, and Mechanical Properties of an Injectable Synthetic Anisotropic Hydrogel Affect Oriented Nerve Growth?
S. Babu, I. Chen, S. Vedaraman, J. Gerardo-Nava, C. Licht, Y. Kittel, T. Haraszti, J. Di Russo and L. De Laporte
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https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202202468 | Advanced Functional Materials | 2022 |