Laura Zorzetto

View from the building of Alte Münze where it is possible to the tower of Alexanderplatz in Berlin

Amazing location at Alte Münze that hosted the 2025 start-up days in Berlin: it was inspiring to meet mentors and like-minded entrepreneurs. #ioviso #iovisoGmbH #womeninSTEM #startup #networking

17.10.2025 09:19 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 1

🚨 Call for Speakers! 🚨
We’re looking for women, non-binary and LGBTQIA scientists to join us at @berlinscienceweek.bsky.social 2025 ✨

Together with LGBTQ+ STEM Berlin, we’re hosting two amazing events.

Want to take the stage? Apply here 👇🏼

docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

25.08.2025 16:26 — 👍 9    🔁 9    💬 1    📌 3

Finally back to 3D printing 😎

31.07.2025 13:55 — 👍 3    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

😎I am excited to start this new adventure as co-founder of a science consultancy start-up: ioviso.

I have decided to follow this path to unite my passion for knowledge and the need to break free from the academic mold 🧑‍🔬.

#womeninSTEM #entrepreneur #xrays #science #consuntancy #grantwriting

01.07.2025 09:57 — 👍 3    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Mechanical Comparison of Escherichia coli Biofilms with Altered Matrix Composition: A Study Combining Shear-Rheology and Microindentation The mechanical properties of bacterial biofilms depend on the composition and microstructure of their extracellular matrix (ECM), which constitutes a network of extracellular proteins and polysaccharide fibers. In particular, Escherichia coli macrocolony biofilms were suggested to present tissue-like elasticity due to a dense fiber network consisting of amyloid curli and phosphoethanolamine-modified cellulose (pEtN-cellulose). To understand the contribution of these two main ECM components to the emergent mechanical properties of E. coli biofilms, we performed shear-rheology and microindentation experiments on biofilms grown from E. coli strains that produce different ECM. We measured that biofilms containing curli fibers are stiffer in compression than curli-deficient biofilms. We further quantitatively demonstrate the crucial contribution of pEtN-cellulose, and especially of the pEtN modification, to the stiffness and structural stability of biofilms when associated with curli fibers. To compare the differences observed between the two methods, we also investigated how the structure and mechanical properties of biofilms with different ECM compositions are affected by the sample preparation method used for shear-rheology. We found that biofilm homogenization, used prior to shear-rheology, destroys the macroscale structure of the biofilm while the microscopic ECM architecture may remain intact. The resulting changes in biofilm mechanical properties highlight the respective advantages and limitations of the two complementary mechanical characterization techniques in the context of biofilm research. As such, our work does not only describe the role of the ECM on the mechanical properties of E. coli biofilms. It also informs the biofilm community on considering sample preparation when interpreting mechanical data of biofilm-based materials.

What do E. coli, a rheometer and a nanoindenter have in common?
Discover it in the latest publication of @cmbidan.bsky.social group at @mpici.bsky.social!

#bacteria #biofilm #mpici #mpikg #womeninSTEM

pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

20.06.2025 11:05 — 👍 8    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 2

How do you 'defeat' old technology? With old technology. No need for the latest instrument to do great science, just good #problemsolving skills. Thanks to the Federation of Europen Material Societies, @brukercorporation.bsky.social and @mpici.bsky.social

15.05.2025 09:57 — 👍 3    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0