LACDR-Bruker Bio-AFM workshop: connecting disciplines through force spectroscopy
On the 6th and 7th of September 2023, the Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research (LACDR) organized the Leiden Bio-AFM workshop in cooperation with Bruker Nano GmbH (Germany) and Bruker Nederland BV. The organization of this event was led by the Medical Systems Biophysics and Bioengineering group (Alireza Mashaghi lab).
PhD and postdoctoral researchers from various LACDR labs, as well as scientists from multiple other institutes in the Faculty of Science, received theoretical and hands-on training in state-of-the-art high-resolution force spectroscopy and imaging. The workshop also allowed a select group of students from various institutes to conduct measurements on their desired samples.
Alireza Mashaghi commented, "This was the first Bruker workshop on this topic globally since COVID times, and it enabled us to showcase the technologies available in LACDR, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations within Leiden University." Postdoctoral researcher Aida Naghilou, who co-organized the event, added, "The workshop turned out to be a great opportunity for researchers across the faculty of science to explore further collaboration together."
The technology presented in the workshop is directly relevant to mechanobiology, soft mater, and biomolecular condensate research, which are conducted by various groups in the Faculty of Science. Senior biophysicist Vahid Sheikhhassani explained, "The workshop covered biomechanics and rheology under near-physiological conditions, correlative 3D morphology imaging with fluorescence, molecular force spectroscopy by Force Robot, and high-resolution imaging on molecules."
Federica Galli, who leads the LION Scanning Probe Microscopy Facility, also participated in the workshop. The LION and LACDR force spectroscopy teams discussed complementary capabilities and possibilities for research alignments to boost biophysics and mechanobiology at Leiden University.
