Image: Pablo Varela
Healthy skin depends on a constant conversation between its two main cellular players: keratinocytes, which form the protective outer barrier, and dermal fibroblasts, which provide structural support and orchestrate tissue repair. Every wound begins with this dialogue, as these cells exchange biochemical signals to coordinate migration, proliferation, and regeneration. 🔬 In this coculture, those conversations become visible: HaCaT (red) and HDF (green) share the same environment, continuously sensing and responding to one another. But cells do not communicate through chemistry alone, they also listen to the physical language of their surroundings. What happens when that conversation is reshaped by mechanical forces?
This image shows a coculture of keratinocytes (HaCaT) and human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs), designed to recreate the cellular interactions that occur during skin wound healing. Using this model, we investigate how controlled mechanical stimulation influences the crosstalk between these two cell populations. By understanding how physical forces regulate cell communication and behavior, we aim to reveal new mechanobiological mechanisms that drive wound healing and tissue regeneration. 🧬
PhD Researcher
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Dr. Mónica Echeverry participated in Women in Science 2024 and gave a talk entitled “Biomaterials: Innovation at the Intersection of Engineering and Medicine”.
The BCD research group has recently published a new publication in the Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials.
IMDEA Materials Institute has taken a significant step in its commitment to innovation and the scientific development of young researchers by launching its new Junior Principal Investigator (Junior PI) program.
Dr. Mónica Echeverry participated in Women in Science 2024 and gave a talk entitled “Biomaterials: Innovation at the Intersection of Engineering and Medicine”.
The BCD research group has recently published a new publication in the Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials.
IMDEA Materials Institute has taken a significant step in its commitment to innovation and the scientific development of young researchers by launching its new Junior Principal Investigator (Junior PI) program.
Nafiseh Mollaei, Alireza Rezaei, Biaobiao Yang, Mónica Echeverry-Rendón, Jon M. Molina-Aldreguía, Federico Sket, Javier Llorca, Acta Materialia, 2026
Mirella Llamosí, Bruno F. Gomes-Ribeiro, Mónica Echeverry-Rendón, Jose Yuste, Julio Sempere, Mirian Domenech, Antibiotics, 2026
Jesús Ordoño, Carlos Aguilar-Vega, Natalia Téllez-Fouz, Guillermo Domínguez, Carmelo de-María, Andrés Díaz-Lantada, Jon Molina-Aldareguia, Mónica Echeverry-Rendón, Biomaterials Advances, 2026
