Detail

Keywords

Biomimetic Materials; Extracellular Matrix; Nerve Regeneration; Schwann Cells; Silk

Research group(s)

• ARGE Radtke
  Research Area: cell based therapies and spider silk conduits for peripheral nerve regeneration
  Members:
  Flavia Millesi
  Maximilian Haertinger
  Sarah Isabella Stadlmayr
  Paul Supper
  Tamara Weiss
  Aida Naghilou

Research interests

My research involves cell-material interactions in the context of nerve regeneration. For this, I focus on biomaterials such as spider silk, as well as dynamic processes in the extracellular matrix.

Techniques, methods & infrastructure

• Primary Rodent Cell Culture
• Live Cell Imaging
• Confocal Microscopy
• Single-Cell Mechanics and Rheological Properties
• Biomolecular Condensates
• Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching (FRAP)
• Raman Spectroscopy
• Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)
• Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)
• Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM)
• Laser Patterning for Biomimetic Materials Production
• Production of Nanoparticles for Multimodal Imaging Applications

Grants

• BIOCONREPAIR (2025)
  Source of Funding: City of Vienna, Hochschuljubiläumsfonds der Stadt Wien - Förderungsantrag
  Principal Investigator
• Understanding the acceptance of spider silk by Schwann cells (2020)
  Source of Funding: FWF (Austrian Science Fund), Stand-Alone Projects
  Coordinator of the collaborative project

Selected publications

1. Naghilou, A., Armbruster, O. and Mashaghi, A. (2025) ‘Scanning probe microscopy elucidates gelation and rejuvenation of biomolecular condensates’, Cell Reports Physical Science, 6(2), p. 102430. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrp.2025.102430.
2. Stadlmayr, S. et al. (2023) ‘Comparative Analysis of Various Spider Silks in Regard to Nerve Regeneration: Material Properties and Schwann Cell Response’, Advanced Healthcare Materials, 13(8). Available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/adhm.202302968.
3. Naghilou, A. et al. (2023) ‘Insights into the material properties of dragline spider silk affecting Schwann cell migration’, International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 244, p. 125398. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.125398.
4. Semmler, L. et al. (2023) ‘Silk‐in‐Silk Nerve Guidance Conduits Enhance Regeneration in a Rat Sciatic Nerve Injury Model’, Advanced Healthcare Materials, 12(11). Available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/adhm.202203237.
5. Naghilou, A. et al. (2020) ‘Correlating the secondary protein structure of natural spider silk with its guiding properties for Schwann cells’, Materials Science and Engineering: C, 116, p. 111219. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msec.2020.111219.