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Cell mechanics, structure, and function are regulated by the stiffness of the three-dimensional microenvironment.

This is the first study to describe the effect of the 3D microenvironment on cell mechanics and changes in cellular structure and function. The data shows that the well-established method of measuring mechanical properties of isolated cells underestimates the cellular mechanical properties found in tissue. Differences in cell moduli were associated with changes in nucleus and cytoskeletal organization providing insight into their biomechanical contribution. The study highlights the importance of 3D scaffold mechanics in regulating cellular structure-function. The work has led to a successful major ERC Fellowship grant to engineer the tumour microenvironment involving mechanical modulation of 3D scaffolds.