Lim Group, Ladoux Group

SAW Thuan Beng

Alumni, Research Associate, Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore

mbistb@nus.edu.sg
Level 9 T-Lab
National University of Singapore
5A Engineering Drive 1
Singapore 117411

What is Myosin?

What is Myosin? An Introduction to the Myosin Superfamily of Proteins Myosin I has unique tail domain(s) relative to other myosin members which allows myosin I to bind to membrane lipids or to more [...]

By Management|Nov 30th, 2023|Categories: Cytoskeleton Dynamics, MBInfo|Comments Off on What is Myosin?

What are cytoskeletal cages?

What are cytoskeletal cages? Cytoskeletal components can assemble into cage-like structures within the cell. These cages serve to segregate intracellular regions or organelles, and can protect their contents from mechanical stress. At the level [...]

By Management|Nov 30th, 2023|Categories: Cytoskeleton Dynamics, MBInfo|Comments Off on What are cytoskeletal cages?

Why are membrane lipids asymmetrical?

Why are membrane lipids asymmetrical? The human red blood cell is functionally specialized for transporting oxygen. In order to maximize oxygen capacity, it has no nucleus or organelles, consisting primarily of plasma membrane and [...]

By Management|Nov 30th, 2023|Categories: MBInfo, Membrane Dynamics|Comments Off on Why are membrane lipids asymmetrical?

How do lipid bilayer components move?

How do lipid bilayer components move? One of the tenets of the Fluid-Mosaic membrane model is that the components of the bilayers are free to move. Before describing the differences between lipid and protein [...]

By Management|Nov 30th, 2023|Categories: MBInfo, Membrane Dynamics|Comments Off on How do lipid bilayer components move?

How do mechanically-gated ion channels facilitate mechanotransduction?

How do mechanically-gated ion channels facilitate mechanotransduction? Mechanotransduction relies on the ability of cells to convert mechanical cues, such as stretch or compression, to biochemical signals. One way this occurs is through the activity [...]

By Management|Nov 30th, 2023|Categories: MBInfo, Membrane Dynamics|Comments Off on How do mechanically-gated ion channels facilitate mechanotransduction?

What is the plasma membrane?

What is the plasma membrane? Plasma membranes are subcellular structures, approximately 10nm thick, that form a protective boundary around the cell as well as the cell’s organelles. They serve to both impede foreign material [...]

By Management|Nov 30th, 2023|Categories: MBInfo, Membrane Dynamics|Comments Off on What is the plasma membrane?

Saw Thuan Beng

Alumni, Research Associate

Principal Investigator

CT Lim, Benoit Ladoux

Research Interests

Molecular Mechanisms of Mechanobiology

Recent Publications

  1. Jiang X, Xu P, Feng F, Grenci G, and Saw TB. Revealing Electromechanical Control of Tissue Homeostasis Using a Two-Layer Microfluidic Device. J Vis Exp 2025;(223). [PMID: 41052031]
  2. Wang Y, Wang Y, Zhu Y, Yu P, Zhou F, Zhang A, Gu Y, Jin R, Li J, Zheng F, Yu A, Ye D, Xu Y, Liu Y, Saw TB, Hu G, Lim CT, and Yu F. Angiomotin cleavage promotes leader formation and collective cell migration. Dev Cell 2024;. [PMID: 39389053]
  3. Delanoë-Ayari H, Hiraiwa T, Marcq P, Rieu J, and Saw TB. 2.5D Traction Force Microscopy: Imaging three-dimensional cell forces at interfaces and biological applications. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2023;:106432. [PMID: 37290687]
  4. . https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36103541
  5. Balasubramaniam L, Doostmohammadi A, Saw TB, Narayana GHNS, Mueller R, Dang T, Thomas M, Gupta S, Sonam S, Yap AS, Toyama Y, Mège R, Yeomans JM, and Ladoux B. Author Correction: Investigating the nature of active forces in tissues reveals how contractile cells can form extensile monolayers. Nat Mater 2021;. [PMID: 33750921]
  6. Balasubramaniam L, Doostmohammadi A, Saw TB, Narayana GHNS, Mueller R, Dang T, Thomas M, Gupta S, Sonam S, Yap AS, Toyama Y, Mège R, Yeomans JM, and Ladoux B. Investigating the nature of active forces in tissues reveals how contractile cells can form extensile monolayers. Nat Mater 2021;. [PMID: 33603188]
  7. Teo JL, Lim CT, Yap AS, and Saw TB. A Biologist's Guide to Traction Force Microscopy Using Polydimethylsiloxane Substrate for Two-Dimensional Cell Cultures. STAR Protoc 2020; 1(2):100098. [PMID: 33111126]
  8. Chen T, Saw TB, Mège R, and Ladoux B. Mechanical forces in cell monolayers. J. Cell. Sci. 2018; 131(24). [PMID: 30573527]
  9. Saw TB, Xi W, Ladoux B, and Lim CT. Biological Tissues as Active Nematic Liquid Crystals. Adv. Mater. Weinheim 2018;:e1802579. [PMID: 30156334]
  10. Saw TB, Doostmohammadi A, Nier V, Kocgozlu L, Thampi S, Toyama Y, Marcq P, Lim CT, Yeomans JM, and Ladoux B. Topological defects in epithelia govern cell death and extrusion. Nature 2017; 544(7649):212-216. [PMID: 28406198]
By Management|2018-01-22T15:53:47+08:00Apr 25th, 2017|Categories: Alumni|Comments Off on Saw Thuan Beng

About the National University of Singapore

About NUSA leading global university centred in Asia, NUS is Singapore's flagship university, offering a global approach to education and research with a focus on Asian perspectives and expertise.

About the Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore

About MBIOne of four Research Centres of Excellence at NUS, MBI is working to identify, measure and describe how the forces for motility and morphogenesis are expressed at the molecular, cellular and tissue level.
Go to Top