Massimo Vassalli

Massimo Vassalli is a Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Glasgow, affiliated with the School of Engineering and the Centre for the Cellular Microenvironment. He holds a Physics degree from the University of Florence (1999) and a cross-disciplinary PhD in Physics, Engineering, and Biology from the same institution. Previously, he worked at the Institute of Biophysics (National Research Council, Genoa) and has extensive experience in industry-academia collaboration.

His research focuses on mechanotransduction, mechanobiology, and developing advanced microscopy/spectroscopy tools. Key areas include studying how physical forces influence biological processes (e.g., cancer, aging) and engineering nanostructured materials for biomedical applications. He leads the MEchanosensing and Cellular Biomechanics Lab and has pioneered techniques like Brillouin microscopy and acoustic fluidic devices for cellular stiffness analysis.

Recent work emphasizes high-throughput biophysical assays, correlative microscopy approaches, and nanoengineering for mechanosensitive systems. His contributions span over 140 publications, with recent trends in hydrogel mechanics, nuclear mechanics, and neurodegeneration diagnostics via optical methods.

Awards: Not explicitly listed in the text.

Lab/Teams: MEchanosensing and Cellular Biomechanics Lab. Collaborations include Prof. Manuel Salmeron-Sanchez and Prof. Matthew Dalby at Glasgow, and international networks in biophysics and materials science.