P. Cicuta

Surface versus volume synthesis governs growth-dependent efficacy of a β-lactam antibiotic

This study shows that mecillinam affects the balance between surface area and volume synthesis in E. coli, leading to growth-rate dependent efficacy and lysis or sustained growth depending on the medium.

Multipad Agarose Plate (MAP): A Rapid and High-Throughput Approach for Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing

The paper introduces a high-throughput antibiotic susceptibility testing method using a Multipad Agarose Plate that reduces turnaround time by eightfold.

Light management by algal aggregates in living photosynthetic hydrogels.

This study investigates how algal aggregates in hydrogels improve light distribution and biomass growth by reducing photoinhibition and increasing light penetration.

Surface crosslinking of virus-like particles increases resistance to proteases, low pH and mechanical stress for mucosal applications

This study enhances the stability of virus-like particles (VLPs) against environmental stressors by surface crosslinking, without affecting their vaccine function.

Effects of the G-quadruplex-binding drugs Quarfloxin and CX-5461 on the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum

This study investigates the effects of G-quadruplex-binding drugs quarfloxin and CX-5461 on Plasmodium falciparum, showing differing mechanisms of action and antimalarial efficacy.

Assessing motile cilia coverage and beat frequency in mammalian in-vitro cell culture tissues

This paper introduces an automated method to assess cilia coverage and beat frequency in mammalian in vitro cell cultures using video microscopy.

DNA-origami line-actants control domain organisation and fission in synthetic membranes

This paper introduces DNA-origami line-actants that control membrane domain organisation and fission in synthetic systems.

The erythrocyte membrane properties of beta thalassaemia heterozygotes and their consequences for Plasmodium falciparum invasion

This study examines beta thalassaemia heterozygous erythrocytes' properties and their effect on Plasmodium falciparum invasion, finding no overall reduction in invasion efficiency.

Centripetal nuclear shape fluctuations associate with chromatin condensation towards mitosis

The paper examines nuclear shape fluctuations during the cell cycle and finds they correlate with chromatin condensation and nuclear-envelope breakdown in mitosis.

Thermal oscillations enable reshuffling of genetic material in a primitive cell cycle

This paper proposes a primitive cell cycle driven by thermal oscillations that enables genetic material reshuffling in prebiotic fatty acid vesicles, leading to the emergence of functional RNA-containing protocells.

A modular, dynamic, DNA-based platform for regulating cargo distribution and transport between lipid domains

This paper introduces a DNA-based platform that regulates cargo distribution between lipid domains using modular, dynamic DNA nanostructures.

Direct Measurement of Unsteady Microscale Stokes Flow Using Optically Driven Microspheres

The paper directly measures unsteady microscale Stokes flow by tracking tracer particles around an oscillating particle, revealing phase lag and flow patterns consistent with theoretical predictions.

Threshold accumulation of a constitutive protein explains E. coli cell division behavior in nutrient upshifts.

The paper investigates E. coli cell division behavior during nutrient upshifts and finds that a constitutive protein accumulates to a threshold, triggering division and maintaining adder correlations.

Post-replicative pairing of sister ter regions in Escherichia coli involves multiple activities of MatP

The paper investigates how MatP protein facilitates pairing of sister ter regions in E. coli by combining mobility analyses and biochemical methods, finding MatP tetramerization and ZapB interaction are essential.

Robotic microscopy for everyone: the OpenFlexure Microscope

The paper introduces an open-source, 3D-printed microscope designed for low-cost, local manufacturing and use in educational, scientific, and clinical settings.

Criticality of plasma membrane lipids reflects activation state of macrophage cells

The paper examines how macrophage plasma membrane lipid composition changes in response to inflammatory stimuli, showing that proximity to a critical point affects membrane protein activity.

Synchronization of mammalian motile cilia in the brain with hydrodynamic forces

The paper shows that hydrodynamic forces between cilia in brain cells can synchronize their beating, with fewer cilia per cell being more responsive to external flows.

A How-To guide to: Quantitative high-speed video profiling to discriminate between variants of primary ciliary dyskinesia

This paper provides a guide to analyzing ciliary beating waveforms using high-speed video microscopy to distinguish between PCD variants and healthy samples.

Phenotyping ciliary dynamics and coordination in response to CFTR-modulators in Cystic Fibrosis respiratory epithelial cells

A novel multi-DDM method detects changes in ciliary beat frequency and coordination in CF airway cells under different treatments and drug conditions.