@drsarahboyle.bsky.social
ARC DECRA Research Fellow in South Australia. Mechanobiology of the mammary gland/breast cancer and interactions with the matrix and microenvironment. https://people.unisa.edu.au/Sarah.Boyle LinkedIn: Sarah-T-Boyle X: DrSarahBoyle
I am delighted to be able to share that our latest paper arising from a project co-led by @drsarahboyle.bsky.social and me is now out in the world, published in AAAS Science Advances.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Thank you for the questions! In this study we looked at pressure experienced at the cellular level, using forces that represent those felt by cancers growing in very tight spaces like the milk duct.
This is very different to a mammogram or similar, which is a force exerted outside of the body.
Why ‘being squeezed’ helps breast cancer cells to thrive
“intense physical pressure at early stages of the disease… leaves a lasting ‘mechanical memory’ in breast cancer cells, promoting aggressive behaviour after the pressure itself has been relieved.”
www.eurekalert.org/news-release...
We are grateful to all those who contributed to the study and the funders, The Hospital Research Foundation, Worldwide Cancer Research (UK), Australian Research Council, and The National Health and Medical Research Council.
Given the high levels of PIEZO1 in patients with early-stage breast cancer, we believe that our findings could be useful in identifying patients at risk of aggressive disease based on PIEZO1 levels and that this signalling axis may be a new mechanotherapy target.
These epigenetic changes engender a mechanical memory within the breast cancer cells, causing them to become – and remain – invasive and proliferative, even after the mechanical stimulus has been relieved.
Specifically, the mechanosensitive ion channel Piezo1 is activated by compression, leading to calcium-mediated activation of Rho-ROCK mechanotransduction. This results in rapid acetylation of nuclear histone proteins, changing chromatin to a transcriptionally-active state.
In a study co-led by myself and Prof @tmem-samuel.bsky.social at The Centre for Cancer Biology, Adelaide University, we found breast cancer cells subjected to compression, such as experienced during tumour growth in the restricted mammary duct, are changed in ways that worsen the resulting tumours.
We are very excited to share our newest results, published in Science Advances: “Compressive stress-driven Piezo1 activation and Rho-ROCK mechanotransduction promote tumor progression via epigenetic mechanical memory”. doi.org/10.1126/scia...
October is breast cancer awareness month. 🎀
I spoke with Australian Breast Cancer Research on what to look out for, when to take action, and how to look out for your loved ones. The earlier breast cancer is detected, the better the chances of survival.
www.instagram.com/reel/DQX9N45...
@mbsanz.bsky.social
Very excited to be at the Proteoglycan and Matrix Biology Society of ANZ conference this week! 🔬👩💻Looking forward to some great talks and seeing colleagues.
(Also, churros for afternoon tea 😮)
Closing out the meeting is Tim Sargeant with an engaging plenary on the “trash bags” of the cell (autophagy)!
Pleasure to then chair fascinating presentations in the ECR/MCR session at the ANZSCDB Adelaide Meeting 🪑🗣️
Nice talk by our student @mogana-rajkumar.bsky.social on ROCK signalling in Metastasis at the ANZSCDB Adelaide Meeting.
Attending the 13th Adelaide Meeting of the ANZSCDB today, kicked off with a mesmerising seminar from @melaniedwhite.bsky.social.
Medical Research Future Fund: Advocates urge increased disbursements amid US research cuts
“the government could release as much as $1.4 billion each year, more than double the current amount.”
Funding delivers breakthroughs!
www.theage.com.au/politics/fed...
What an honour to be able to don the puffy hat again yesterday, to give the oration at a University of Adelaide graduation ceremony for the Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology. Truly delighted to be asked. Congrats to all the graduates and wishing you the very best!
Bubna-Litic, M., & Mayor, R. (2025). Beyond mechanosensing: How cells sense and shape their physical environment during development. Current opinion in cell biology, 94, 102514. #EpithelialMechanicsReview
buff.ly/Ea2ZoFg
.@ahxanjaved.bsky.social, @sarawickstrom.bsky.social & team discover that Piezo1 balances membrane & cortex tension to stabilize intercellular junctions & maintain the epithelial barrier.
journals.biologists.com/jcs/article/...
Article: journals.biologists.com/jcs/article/...
#OpenAccess
Tiny molecular spirals in cells can scale up to control the twist and turn of entire tissues, an important step towards understanding left-right symmetry in tissues and organs.
buff.ly/2pSf3xS
Just simple antibody optimisations, but it feels good to be back doing lab work after a year away from the bench. 🔬🥼👩🔬 #immunofluorescence #confocal
Was my pleasure to moderate the panel today at the inaugural Female Fellows symposium “Balancing Acts”. An insightful, open and frank discussion on juggling a scientific career with caring, part time work and leave, and a real sense of solidarity.
Absolutely thrilled to receive an AIPS 2025 SA Young Tall Poppy Award! Wouldn't be possible without our wonderful team, dedicated patient advocates, & various funding bodies that allowed me to connect with scientific/non-scientific groups to communicate our research. www.unisa.edu.au/media-centre...
Finally got the time to put together my awesome new Lego, The Evolution of STEM 🧬🔬🧪🚀
Come work with us! Seeking a Research Associate/Fellow to work on our NHMRC funded project using nanofabrication to model tumour ECM structures.
Happy birthday, David Attenborough! 99 ways he has inspired us, by Barack Obama, Billie Eilish, Morgan Freeman – and many more
A bit late to the party, but finished Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. POV as a reader: captivating, funny, gripping story, relatable in professional sense. As a woman in science: Fantastic to see how far we’ve come, but some aspects still unfortunately resonate. Recommend!
