Pietro Cicuta

This paper develops a high-throughput flickering spectroscopy method to measure red blood cell membrane mechanics, validated through chemical modification and simulations.

This paper designs and expresses non-natural membrane-less RNA organelles in E. coli, enabling algorithmic control over interactions and condensate structure.

The paper investigates whether Plasmodium falciparum parasites preferentially invade Duffy-positive red blood cells and explores the evolutionary implications for Duffy negativity prevalence.

This study develops a microfluidic platform to quantify malaria parasite invasion under physiological flow conditions and shows that flow significantly affects invasion, particularly in parasites lacking the PfEBA175 gene.

This study shows that E. coli susceptibility to mecillinam depends on environmental factors like salts and nutrients, with cysB gene function playing a key role in conditional resistance.

This study uses biophysical methods to analyze AP2 interactions with biomimetic membranes, revealing insights into clathrin-mediated endocytosis mechanisms.

This study develops an experimental method to measure fluid flow in the periciliary layer of human airway epithelia, revealing cilia-driven fluid expulsion and its role in pathogen barrier formation.

This study shows that hyphal growth in microfluidic alveoli-like geometries enables coexistence of P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, and C. albicans by creating spatial organization that excludes competitors.

This study shows antibiotics increase growth rate heterogeneity in bacteria, with some reducing it, and links morphological changes to growth inhibition, introducing a new AST method.

The paper uses optical tweezers to measure merozoite-erythrocyte attachment forces and identifies PfEBA and PfRH ligands as critical for attachment, not PfMSP1.

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.

The paper designs a synthetic signaling network that mimics immune cell responses to bacterial metabolism through coordinated synthetic agents.

This paper introduces a platform for creating DNA-based artificial cells with localized functionalities using reaction-diffusion waves, demonstrating spatial segregation of RNA synthesis and storage.

The paper shows that Dantu blood group variant increases red blood cell tension, reducing Plasmodium falciparum invasion and protecting against severe malaria.