Research
skin, 3D bioprinting, mechanobiology, regenerative medicine
Underpinning Bioengineering, Cancer Models, Skin Models
Interests
My research group focuses on the repair and regeneration of human skin. We develop novel biomaterials and engineered biosystems to model the skin and employ technologies such as micro-fabrication, engineered hydrogels, and 3D bioprinting. This approach has allowed to uncover fundamental mechanisms of tissue homeostasis and wound repair, and a key are of interest is the role of mechanical and biophysical cues in skin regeneration.
Publications of specific relevance to Predictive in vitro Models

Publications of specific relevance to Predictive in vitro Models
2022

Sarmin AM, El Moussaid NE, Suntornnond R, Tyler EJ, Kim YH, Cio SD, Megone WV, Pearce O,
Gautrot JE, Dawson J and
Connelly JT (2022).
Multi-Scale Analysis of the Composition, Structure, and Function of Decellularized Extracellular Matrix for Human Skin and Wound Healing Models. Biomolecules vol. 12, (6)
10.3390/biom12060837
Pundel OJ, Blowes LM and
Connelly JT (2022).
Extracellular Adhesive Cues Physically Define Nucleolar Structure and Function. Advanced Science vol. 9, (10)
10.1002/advs.2021055452021

Laly AC, Sliogeryte K, Pundel OJ, Ross R, Keeling MC, Avisetti D, Waseem A, Gavara N and
Connelly JT (2021).
The keratin network of intermediate filaments regulates keratinocyte rigidity sensing and nuclear mechanotransduction. Science Advances vol. 7, (5)
10.1126/sciadv.abd61872019

Almeida FV, Gammon L, Laly AC, Pundel OJ, Bishop CL and
Connelly JT (2019).
High‐Content Analysis of Cell Migration Dynamics within a Micropatterned Screening Platform. Wiley Advanced Biosystems 1900011-1900011.
10.1002/adbi.2019000112018

Ghetti M, Topouzi H, Theocharidis G, Papa V, Williams G, Bondioli E, Cenacchi G,
Connelly JT and Higgins CA (2018).
Subpopulations of dermal skin fibroblasts secrete distinct extracellular matrix: implications for using skin substitutes in the clinic. British Journal of Dermatology vol. 179, (2) 381-393.
10.1111/bjd.16255
Kenny FN, Drymoussi Z, Delaine-Smith R, Kao AP, Laly AC,
Knight MM, Philpott MP and
Connelly JT (2018).
Tissue stiffening promotes keratinocyte proliferation through activation of epidermal growth factor signaling. Journal of Cell Science vol. 131, (10) 215780-215780.
10.1242/jcs.2157802017

Pearce OMT, Delaine-Smith R, Maniati E, Nichols S, Wang J, Böhm S, Rajeeve V, Ullah D, Chakravarty P, Jones RR, Montfort A, Dowe T, Gribben J, Jones JL, Kocher HM, Serody JS, Vincent BG,
Connelly J, Brenton JD, Chelala C, Cutillas PR, Lockley M, Bessant C,
Knight M and
Balkwill FR (2017).
Deconstruction of a metastatic tumor microenvironment reveals a common matrix response in human cancers. Cancer Discov 10.1158/2159-8290.CD-17-02842016

Sharili AS, Kenny FN, Vartiainen MK and
Connelly JT (2016).
Nuclear actin modulates cell motility via transcriptional regulation of adhesive and cytoskeletal genes. Sci Rep vol. 6, 33893-33893.
10.1038/srep33893
Kao AP,
Connelly JT and Barber AH (2016).
3D nanomechanical evaluations of dermal structures in skin. Journal of The Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials vol. 57, 14-23.
10.1016/j.jmbbm.2015.11.017
Theocharidis G, Drymoussi Z, Kao AP, Barber AH,
Lee DA, Braun KM and
Connelly JT (2016).
Type VI Collagen Regulates Dermal Matrix Assembly and Fibroblast Motility. J Invest Dermatol vol. 136, (1) 74-83.
10.1038/JID.2015.3522015

Almeida FV, Walko G, McMillan JR, McGrath JA, Wiche G, Barber AH and
Connelly JT (2015).
The cytolinker plectin regulates nuclear mechanotransduction in keratinocytes. Journal of Cell Science vol. 128, (24) 4475-4486.
10.1242/jcs.1734352014
2012

Driskell RR, Juneja VR,
Connelly JT, Kretzschmar K, Tan DW-M and Watt FM (2012).
Clonal growth of dermal papilla cells in hydrogels reveals intrinsic differences between Sox2-positive and -negative cells in vitro and in vivo. J Invest Dermatol vol. 132, (4) 1084-1093.
10.1038/jid.2011.428
Trappmann B,
Gautrot JE,
Connelly JT, Strange DGT, Li Y, Oyen ML, Cohen Stuart MA, Boehm H, Li B, Vogel V, Spatz JP, Watt FM and Huck WTS (2012).
Extracellular-matrix tethering regulates stem-cell fate. Nature Materials 10.1038/nmat33392010
Connelly JT,
Gautrot JE, Trappmann B, Tan DWM, Donati G, Huck WTS and Watt FM (2010).
Actin and serum response factor transduce physical cues from the microenvironment to regulate epidermal stem cell fate decisions. Nature Cell Biology vol. 12, (7) 711-718.
10.1038/ncb2074
Connelly JT, Vanderploeg EJ, Mouw JK, Wilson CG and Levenston ME (2010).
Tensile loading modulates bone marrow stromal cell differentiation and the development of engineered fibrocartilage constructs. Tissue Eng Part A vol. 16, (6) 1913-1923.
10.1089/ten.TEA.2009.05612008
Connelly JT, García AJ and Levenston ME (2008).
Interactions between integrin ligand density and cytoskeletal integrity regulate BMSC chondrogenesis. J Cell Physiol vol. 217, (1) 145-154.
10.1002/jcp.214842007