Mechanobiology explores how physical forces and the mechanical cues of the cellular microenvironment influence cell properties (e.g., mechanics), behaviour, fate, and function through mechanotransduction across different length scales (from molecules to tissue level). It has emerged as a central driver of cellular processes in health and disease.

At CeMi, this pillar provides a unifying framework that connects fundamental biophysics with bioengineering, bioimaging, and translational research. By understanding how cells sense, generate, and respond to mechanical cues, we develop new ways to guide development and regeneration, or to tackle disease progression, in a controlled and predictable manner.

CeMi’s unique strength in mechanobiology also lies in its tight integration with the other research pillars. Our ability to precisely modulate the microenvironment (using engineered materials with tunable stiffness, architecture, and biochemical presentation) creates well‑defined systems for probing and directing mechanotransductive regulation. This is complemented by advanced control of cellular state, particularly in stem cells and other sensitive populations, enabling us to link mechanical cues directly to lineage decisions, priming, and long‑term physiological and pathophysiological phenotypes. These capabilities are brought together through the Centre’s Mechanobiology Facility, a distinctive suite of biophysical tools for quantitative force measurement, multimodal live‑cell imaging, and mechanophenotyping of cells and materials at high resolution. Together, these strengths position CeMi as a leading environment for uncovering the mechanical principles governing cell behaviour and for translating these insights into new biomedical strategies