This research investigates how glioblastoma brain cancer cells invade healthy brain tissue. Using patient-derived tumor organoids and traction force microscopy, the study measures how cancer cells generate and apply forces to move through the brain. Understanding these invasion mechanisms could help develop therapies that slow tumor spread and improve patient survival.

Healing depends on a balance between extracellular matrix stiffness and cellular recycling through autophagy. This research shows that disrupted balance leads to chronic wounds or fibrotic scarring. By engineering materials with tunable stiffness, the work reveals how cells “sense” their environment, opening new paths to guide healthier wound healing.