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mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social
Oleg Mikhajlov
@mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social
120 followers 370 following 16 posts
Postdoc at the University of Geneva, specialising in structural color pigment formation in zebrafish using biophysical techniques and microscopy. Former PhD researcher @institutcurie.bsky.social, focused on cell adhesion on fluid substrates.
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mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social
Oleg Mikhajlov @mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social · Feb 2
1/11 🚨 New research! 🚨 We explored how cells adhere to supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) using Invasin, a high-affinity integrin ligand. Surprisingly, cells spread and form mature integrin adhesions on fluid SLBs, revealing a novel microtubule-driven mechanotransduction! www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Cell adhesion and spreading on fluid membranes through microtubules-dependent mechanotransduction - Nature Communications
During cell adhesion, integrins are typically thought to require immobilized ligands for spreading. Here, the authors demonstrate that cells can spread and form mature integrin adhesions on fluid subs...
www.nature.com
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Reposted by Oleg Mikhajlov
lifesciswitzerland.bsky.social
Life Sciences Switzerland (LS2) @lifesciswitzerland.bsky.social · 9d
🌟 Postdocs – want to become a PI?
Apply for PIs of Tomorrow 2026 at the LS2 Annual Meeting (Feb 11–12, Zurich).
Prizes, feedback, and networking: annual-meeting.ls2.ch/2026/special...
Deadline: 5 Oct 2025
🔗 form.jotform.com/211792813615...
#Career #PIsOfTomorrow #Postdoc
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mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social
Oleg Mikhajlov @mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social · Sep 3
Honored to receive the Best Poster Award 🏆, generously sponsored by @Nikon, at the Swiss Physiology Meeting 2025!

Grateful to the organizers, sponsors & all the brilliant scientists I had the chance to connect with. Inspiring to share our research together!
#SPM2025 #Microscopy
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Reposted by Oleg Mikhajlov
elife.bsky.social
eLife @elife.bsky.social · Sep 2
How do genes that keep melanocytes alive affect #melanoma?

Using a #zebrafish line with mitfa-driven Cas9, researchers show that knocking out survival genes can sometimes fuel more aggressive tumour traits.
Identifying in vivo genetic dependencies of melanocyte and melanoma development
Altmetric provides a collated score for online attention across various platforms and media.See more details
buff.ly
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mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social
Oleg Mikhajlov @mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social · Sep 2
Just back from the #Arolla conference in the Swiss Alps 🌄 — 40 years of history, but still unmatched in atmosphere & scientific exchange. Grateful for the inspiring discussions in such a unique setting!
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mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social
Oleg Mikhajlov @mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social · Jun 6
🐟 Great time at the 17th Annual Swiss Zebrafish Meeting in Bern! Thanks to the organizers for the chance to present my work and connect with this amazing community. Top-notch science & discussions!

#SwissZebra2025 #Zebrafish #DevBio #RegMed #ModelOrganisms #BernScience
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mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social
Oleg Mikhajlov @mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social · May 30
Just returned from the GDR AQV 2025 meeting in beautiful Sète 🇫🇷. Grateful to the organizers for the opportunity to present my work. The event was filled with stimulating scientific talks and engaging interactions. Looking forward to the next edition! #AQVDays2025 #GDR
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Reposted by Oleg Mikhajlov
apdu-unige.bsky.social
Association of Postdoc at University of Geneva @apdu-unige.bsky.social · Feb 17
Today we had a beatiful talk of @mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social in the Biology Club.
We learned a lot about sguanine crystalls and their physical properties 🐟🐠.
Don't miss the next Biology Club!
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mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social
Oleg Mikhajlov @mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social · Feb 4
Great job, Olga! Congrats!
olgaafonso.bsky.social
Olga Afonso @olgaafonso.bsky.social · Feb 3
New paper alert! ‼️‼️
Super happy to share that my postdoc paper is finally out!

1/3 We looked at scaling of chromosome separation during anaphase in zebrafish embryos.
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mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social
Oleg Mikhajlov @mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social · Feb 2
11/11
These findings have broad implications for understanding cell–cell interactions, such as those between immune cells and target cells.
#CellAdhesion #Mechanotransduction #Microtubules #Dynein #Integrin #IntegrinAffinity #FluidSubstrates #CellSpreading
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mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social
Oleg Mikhajlov @mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social · Feb 2
10/11
Overall, our study emphasizes the pivotal role of ligand-integrin affinity in mediating adhesion on fluid substrates and the critical function of microtubules in mechanotransduction.
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mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social
Oleg Mikhajlov @mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social · Feb 2
9/11
Microtubule depolymerization impairs cell adhesion on SLBs, contrasting with its effect on rigid substrates—where it actually boosts actomyosin activity.
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mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social
Oleg Mikhajlov @mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social · Feb 2
8/11
Dynein and microtubules transport integrin clusters toward the cell periphery on SLBs, correlating with enhanced cell spreading on Invasin-SLBs. Their outward push is balanced by actomyosin contractility.
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mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social
Oleg Mikhajlov @mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social · Feb 2
7/11
Our model, which accounts for mobile ligands on a fluid substrate, reveals that higher receptor–ligand affinity drives the formation of denser, more force-resistant clusters.
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mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social
Oleg Mikhajlov @mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social · Feb 2
6/11
Vertical forces generated by microtubules and dynein motors are crucial for integrin cluster growth on SLBs. The appearance of membrane tubes and local deformations provides clear evidence of these mechanical forces at work.
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mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social
Oleg Mikhajlov @mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social · Feb 2
5/11
Interestingly, no actin stress fibers form on SLBs—unlike on rigid substrates. Meanwhile, F-actin is notably enriched at adhesion sites on RGD-SLBs, and microtubules play a key role on Invasin-SLBs.
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mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social
Oleg Mikhajlov @mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social · Feb 2
4/11
We observed increased recruitment of focal adhesion (FA) proteins (except talin) to integrin clusters on Invasin-SLBs, suggesting that cells experience greater mechanical forces when bound to Invasin.
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mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social
Oleg Mikhajlov @mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social · Feb 2
3/11
On Invasin-SLBs, integrin clusters are larger and denser—resembling those on glass but distinct from clusters on RGD-SLBs. This underscores the importance of ligand-integrin affinity in driving cluster formation.
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mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social
Oleg Mikhajlov @mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social · Feb 2
2/11
Our experiments show that cells spread much more on Invasin-SLBs than on RGD-SLBs. Although initial adhesion is faster on RGD-SLBs, adding Mn²⁺ greatly enhances adhesion on Invasin-SLBs, leading to more extensive cell spreading.
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mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social
Oleg Mikhajlov @mikhajlov-oleg.bsky.social · Feb 2
1/11 🚨 New research! 🚨 We explored how cells adhere to supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) using Invasin, a high-affinity integrin ligand. Surprisingly, cells spread and form mature integrin adhesions on fluid SLBs, revealing a novel microtubule-driven mechanotransduction! www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Cell adhesion and spreading on fluid membranes through microtubules-dependent mechanotransduction - Nature Communications
During cell adhesion, integrins are typically thought to require immobilized ligands for spreading. Here, the authors demonstrate that cells can spread and form mature integrin adhesions on fluid subs...
www.nature.com
1 2 12