John Tember joins the Soft Matter Lab

(Photo by A. Ciarlo.)
John Tember joined the Soft Matter Lab on 15 June 2025.

John is a PhD student in Physics at the University of Gothenburg.

He holds a Master’s degree in Media Technology and Engineering from Linköping University.

During his time at the Soft Matter Lab, he will work on data-driven life science, with a focus on developing and analyzing 3D models derived from lightsheet microscopy.

Invited Seminar by G. Volpe at Cognitive and Behavior Changes in Parkinson’s Disease and Parkinsonism: Advances and Challenges, Santa Maria di Leuca, Italy, 21 May 2025

Braph 2 Logo. (Image from the Braph 2 Project)
The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Advanced Neuroimaging Analysis
Giovanni Volpe
Cognitive and Behavior Changes in Parkinson’s Disease and Parkinsonism: Advances and Challenges
Date: 21 May 2025
Time: 11:50
Place: Tricase, Santa Maria di Leuca, Italy

Aitor González Marfil joins the Soft Matter Lab

(Photo by A. Ciarlo.)
Aitor González Marfil starts his visiting period at the Physics Department of the University of Gothenburg on 19 May 2025.

Aitor is a PhD student at the University of the Basque Country.

During his visit, that will last until the 19 of August, he will focus on machine learning for image analysis.

Robert Sosa Principe joins the Soft Matter Lab

(Photo by A. Ciarlo.)
Robert Sosa Principe started his visit at the Physics Department at the University of Gothenburg on 17 May 2025.

Robert is a PostDoc in the group of Prof. Carlos Bustamante at the University of California, Berkeley.

During his visit, he will focus on experiments of single-molecule biophysics.

Invited talk by L. Viaene at the first PhD Conference at the University of Gothenburg, 25 April 2025

Linde Viaene presenting at the PhD conference. (Image by S. Kilde Westberg.)
Studying heat adaptation in yeast one-molecule at a time: The use of single-molecule microscopy for aggregate identification and tracking.

Linde Viaene
Date: 25th of April
Time: 13:00
Place: Veras Gräsmatta, Gothenburg

The importance of protein folding and misfolding is indicated by the broad range of clinical manifestations that have protein aggregation at the base, such as neurodegenerative diseases, cancer and type II diabetes. A key factor in (energy) homeostasis is the DNA configuration of chromatin which allows for essential gene expression and adaptation to environmental factors. The Rpd3 deacetylase histone complex (DHAC) plays a crucial role in gene regulation and its disruption impairs stress-induced gene activation, highlighting its importance in cellular adaptation.
Using Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model system, we aim to investigate the role of chromatin remodelling components in protein aggregation and cellular rejuvenation, which may influence aggregate retention and recovery speed. We will expose yeast cells to stressors such as heat shock, metabolic shifts, and oxidative stress to assess their effects on protein homeostasis and chromatin regulation. Growth assays will evaluate survival rates, while Western blotting will measure Hsp104 expression, a key heat shock protein involved in aggregate clearance. By employing our bespoke single-molecule fluorescence microscope, we will track aggregate formation, clearance, and spatial localization in live cells at molecular precision.
Our preliminary results indicate that some components of the Rpd3L complex, respectively alter the recovery rate after heat stress exposure. Hence, the goal is to explore further candidate genes and to determine their role in the stress-induced response. By elucidating the role of chromatin remodelers in stress adaptation, our findings may inform novel therapeutic strategies for age-related diseases.

Invited Talk by G. Volpe at OPIC/OMC 2025, Yokohama, Japan, 21 April 2025 (Online, Pre-recorded)

DeepTrack 2 Logo. (Image from DeepTrack 2 Project)
How can deep learning enhance microscopy?
Giovanni Volpe
Optics & Photonics International Congress 2025 (OPIC 2025), The 11th Optical Manipulation and Structured Materials Conference (OMC2025)
Date: 21 April 2025
Time: 13:45 JST
Place: Yokohama, Japan (Online, Pre-recorded)

Computational memory capacity predicts aging and cognitive decline published in Nature Communications

Memory capacity in aging. A Brain reservoir computing architecture with uniform random signals applied to all nodes. (Image from the article.)
Computational memory capacity predicts aging and cognitive decline
Mite Mijalkov, Ludvig Storm, Blanca Zufiria-Gerbolés, Dániel Veréb, Zhilei Xu, Anna Canal-Garcia, Jiawei Sun, Yu-Wei Chang, Hang Zhao, Emiliano Gómez-Ruiz, Massimiliano Passaretti, Sara Garcia-Ptacek, Miia Kivipelto, Per Svenningsson, Henrik Zetterberg, Heidi Jacobs, Kathy Lüdge, Daniel Brunner, Bernhard Mehlig, Giovanni Volpe, Joana B. Pereira
Nature Communications 16, 2748 (2025)
doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-57995-0

Memory is a crucial cognitive function that deteriorates with age. However, this ability is normally assessed using cognitive tests instead of the architecture of brain networks. Here, we use reservoir computing, a recurrent neural network computing paradigm, to assess the linear memory capacities of neural-network reservoirs extracted from brain anatomical connectivity data in a lifespan cohort of 636 individuals. The computational memory capacity emerges as a robust marker of aging, being associated with resting-state functional activity, white matter integrity, locus coeruleus signal intensity, and cognitive performance. We replicate our findings in an independent cohort of 154 young and 72 old individuals. By linking the computational memory capacity of the brain network with cognition, brain function and integrity, our findings open new pathways to employ reservoir computing to investigate aging and age-related disorders.

Ade Satria Saloka Santosa joins the Soft Matter Lab

(Photo by A. Ciarlo.)
Ade Satria Saloka Santosa joins the Physics Department of the University of Gothenburg as a visiting PhD student from Uppsala University on 1 February 2025.

Ade holds a Master of Science degree in Industrial Chemistry from Pukyong National University, South Korea, and has research experience at the Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS).

During his PhD, he will focus on nanofabrication and e-paper technology.