Carien Niessen

Carien Niessen leads the Department of Cell Biology of the Skin, focusing on understanding how regulation of cell structure integrates with metabolic, inflammatory, and growth signals to control epithelial barrier formation and disease. The lab investigates the interplay of adhesion, mechanical, and biochemical signals in stratifying epithelia like skin, emphasizing their role in tissue regeneration and proteostasis under mechanical stress.

• Research interests include epithelial barrier dynamics, mechanobiology, cell adhesion, and skin physiology.
• Ph.D. student Hanyin Zhang studies intercellular junction formation and proteostasis in epithelia.
• The lab actively engages in outreach (e.g., Girls and Boys Day) and team-building activities (e.g., creative retreats, Karneval celebrations).