Britta Trappmann

Britta Trappmann is a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine and a member of the Cells in Motion Cluster of Excellence. She leads the Bioactive Materials Laboratory, focusing on biomaterials, synthetic hydrogels, and the interplay between cell-matrix interactions and cellular mechanotransduction to understand angiogenesis and tissue engineering.

Trappmann’s research develops synthetic extracellular matrices with tunable properties (mechanics, degradability, adhesiveness) to study cell migration, endothelial cell behavior, and vascular morphogenesis. Her work bridges biomedical engineering, cell biology, and materials science, emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration.

Her 15 most recent publications span angiogenesis (e.g., Adv Sci 2024, Nat Commun 2021), cell mechanotransduction (e.g., Angew Chem Int Ed 2006), and biomaterials engineering (e.g., Nat Mater 2012). These studies often employ 3D organotypic cell culture models and synthetic hydrogels to dissect how material properties influence cell behavior, including endothelial cell migration, collective cell dynamics, and vascular junction stability.

Trappmann is a board member of the CiM-IMPRS Graduate Programme, mentoring junior scientists. Her lab utilizes advanced tools like spinning-disc microscopes to observe 3D cell migration in real-time and creates engineered tissue platforms for angiogenesis studies. She emphasizes translating basic research into medical applications, envisioning implantable artificial tissues.