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

Mechanosignaling

What is mechanosignaling?Cells, whether prokaryotic (unicellular) or eukaryotic (multicellular), constantly interact with their environment. In the case of prokaryotic cells, environmental cues may initiate cellular functions such as cell division, sporulation or cell motility. These [...]

By Management|Nov 30th, 2023|Categories: MBInfo, Mechanosignaling|Comments Off on Mechanosignaling

What are Arf GTPases?

What are Arf GTPases? ADP-ribosylation factor (Arf) GTPases are a subfamily of the Ras superfamily of small GTPases. Arf proteins perform diverse and critical functions in fundamental cellular processes like membrane trafficking, lipid modification, [...]

By Management|Nov 30th, 2023|Categories: MBInfo, Mechanosignaling|Comments Off on What are Arf GTPases?

How do small GTPases regulate mechanosignaling pathways?

How do small GTPases regulate mechanosignaling pathways? The small GTPases are a superfamily of enzymes that function as ‘molecular switches’ and are involved in regulating many cellular processes. All small GTPases transduce information through [...]

By Management|Nov 30th, 2023|Categories: MBInfo, Mechanosignaling|Comments Off on How do small GTPases regulate mechanosignaling pathways?

How are focal adhesion dynamics regulated?

How are focal adhesion dynamics regulated? The highly dynamic and complex molecular composition of focal adhesions is regulated by a number of physico-chemical signals arising from its surroundings, such as extracellular matrix stiffness, topography, [...]

By Management|Nov 30th, 2023|Categories: MBInfo, Mechanosignaling|Comments Off on How are focal adhesion dynamics regulated?

Are focal adhesions dynamic?

Are focal adhesion dynamic? In migrating cells, turnover of adhesion components happens throughout the adhesion life cycle, with a shift in equilibrium between rates of recruitment and removal during the various stages. At the [...]

By Management|Nov 30th, 2023|Categories: MBInfo, Mechanosignaling|Comments Off on Are focal adhesions dynamic?

What are Rho GTPases?

What are Rho GTPases? The Ras homologous (Rho) protein family is a member of the Ras superfamily of small GTPases. Small GTPases are monomeric proteins and function as molecular switches that turn “on” or [...]

By Management|Nov 30th, 2023|Categories: MBInfo, Mechanosignaling|Comments Off on What are Rho GTPases?

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.
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