Congratulations to the ECR awardees for their presentations on PIEZO channels and the physiology of mechanobiology
Mechanobiology was at the heart of the inaugural Synergy for Science 2026 conference, SynSci26, in Glasgow, which brought together researchers exploring how mechanical forces shape life across development, ageing, and disease. As part of this conference, the Society hosted a dedicated track from 13 – 15 July within the broader programme, called “PIEZOs and the Physiology of Mechanobiology”. Early career researchers showcased their own work in the field of PIEZOs through short talks, flash talks and posters. Join us in celebrating the awardees as we reveal the prize winners and runners up in each category:
Early Career Researcher Oral Competition
Early Career Researcher Oral Competition Winner
Michael Sindoni, Duke University Medical Center, US
Talk title: Piezo2 tension sensitivity and its modulation by alternative splicing
Early Career Researcher Oral Competition Runners Up
Yang Guo, The Victor Chang Research Institute, Australia
Talk title: Deletion of Piezo1 in adult cardiomyocytes accelerates cardiac aging and promotes premature mortality
Baile Wang, The University of Hong Kong
Talk title: Piezo1 activation suppresses bone marrow adipogenesis to prevent osteoporosis by inhibiting a mechanoinflammatory autocrine loop
Early Career Researcher Poster Competition
Early Career Researcher Poster Competition Winner
Yunus Benli, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Germany
Poster title: Mechanosensitive Ion Channel Piezo1 Regulates Osteoclast Differentiation by Activating the Metalloproteinases ADAM10 and ADAM17
Early Career Researcher Poster Competition Runner Up
Ishani Sharma, Ashoka University, India
Poster title: Role of PEZO-1 in Maintenance of the Germline Stem Cell Population in Caenorhabditis elegans
Early Career Researcher Flash Talk Competition
Early Career Researcher Flash Talk Competition Winner
Chloe Randall, University of Leeds, UK
Talk title: Understanding PIEZO1 channel conservation across species
Early Career Researcher Flash Talk Competition Runner Up
Jana Ebeling, University Heart Center Freiburg – Bad Krozingen, Germany
Talk title: Piezo1 Activation Reduces Coronary Flow in ex vivo Perfused Mouse Hearts
Thank you very much to the organisers: Professor David Beech (University of Leeds, UK); Eulashini Chuntharpursat-Bon (University of Leeds, UK); Anna McGrane (University of Leeds, UK); and Professor Massimo Vassalli (University of Glasgow, UK). The ECR competition was part of an engaging programme which featured a series of plenary lectures, including the Society’s “Cardiac mechanics to cure cancer” by Serena Zacchigna.
See who headlined at ‘Synergy for Science 2026: PIEZOs and the Physiology of Mechanobiology’ and the topics of discussion.