Maria Akhmanova

Maria Akhmanova is an Assistant Member in the Cell Biology Program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), with affiliations to the Gerstner Sloan Kettering Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. Her research focuses on understanding how cells invade and migrate through tissues in vivo, integrating live imaging, biomechanical techniques, and computational modeling. Key areas include macrophage infiltration dynamics, tissue resistance mechanisms, and the role of cortactin and actin cytoskeleton regulation.

Dr. Akhmanova holds a PhD from Lomonosov Moscow State University and has been recognized with the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) Lise Meitner fellowship (2018-2019). Her lab includes researchers such as Emily Pratt (GSK Graduate Student), Jonah Rosas (Research Scholar), and Xiaoqun Zhang (Senior Research Scientist), with lab alumni including Jayant Asthana.

Her work spans disciplines like immunology, biomechanics, and computational biology. Recent studies highlight topics such as mitochondrial bioenergetics in macrophage invasion and Fos signaling in cortical actin regulation. Collaborative projects include work on auxin signaling in plant roots and collagen-based biomaterials for tissue regeneration.

• Key awards: Lise Meitner Fellowship (2018-2019)
• Lab members: Emily Pratt (PhD student), Jonah Rosas, Xiaoqun Zhang
• Collaborations: The lab employs interdisciplinary approaches blending experimental and theoretical frameworks.

Her publications emphasize mechanistic insights into tissue-level cell migration, with implications for cancer immunology and regenerative medicine.