Dr Marco Enriquez Martinez
Marco is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow investigating how cells in our bodies generate force and traction to move within our tissues and biological fluids.
Dr. Marco Enriquez Martinez is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow investigating how cells in our bodies sense and physically interact with biological materials in 3D. Marco obtained his Ph.D in Materials Chemistry and Soft Matter from The University of Queensland in 2024 under the supervision of Professor Alan E. Rowan. During his doctorate, Marco developed novel hybrid hydrogel systems for three-dimensional (3D) cell culture and biomedical applications. His research focused on investigating how can one control the mechanical behaviour of collagen and hyaluronic acid hydrogels solely by implementing concepts of polymer physics and interpenetrating networks. His research in the hybrid nonlinear mechanics of collagen were published in Science Advances (2025) and outcomes from his doctoral research with hyaluronic acid formed a key part of funding granted by the United States Department of Defence under the project "Discovering therapeutic vulnerabilities of circulating melanoma clusters" (2024–2027). Currently, Marco integrates molecular techniques with high resolution live-cell imaging in the laboratory of A/Prof Samantha J. Stehbens to elucidate mechanisms of cell force generation and cell locomotion in hyaluronic acid hydrogels.
Collaborations
Marco has established collaborations with several research groups from the Institute for Molecular Biosciences (IMB) at UQ and the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO)
Funding
Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) (No.14182) (2022). Australian Government Research Training Program (2020-2024).
Key Publications
Marco A. Enriquez Martinez, Zhao Wang, Yanina D. Alvarez, Jade E. O’Neill, Robert J. Ju, Petri Turunen, Melanie D. White, Jitendra Mata, Elliot P. Gilbert, Jan Lauko, Alan E. Rowan, Samantha J. Stehbens, Tuning collagen nonlinear mechanics with interpenetrating networks drives adaptive cellular phenotypes in three dimensions. Sci. Adv. 11, eadt3352 (2025)
Robert J. Ju, Alistair D. Falconer, Christanny J. Schmidt, Marco A. Enriquez Martinez, Kevin M. Dean, Reto P. Fiolka, David P. Sester, Max Nobis, Paul Timpson, Alexis J. Lomakin, Gaudenz Danuser, Melanie D. White, Nikolas K. Haass, Dietmar B. Oelz, Sam J. Stehbens, Compression-dependent microtubule reinforcement enables cells to navigate confined environments. Nat Cell Biol 26, 1520–1534 (2024).
Teodor E. Yordanov, Mikaela Keyser, Marco A. Enriquez Martinez, Tyron Esposito, Juliann B. Tefft, Elysse Morris, Larisa I. Labzin, Samantha J. Stehbens, Alan E. Rowan, Benjamin M. Hogan, Christopher S. Chen, Jan Lauko, Anne K. Lagendijk, Hyaluronic acid turnover controls the severity of Cerebral Cavernous Malformations in bioengineered human micro-vessels. APL Bioengineering 8, 016108 (2024).
Michael A. Taylor, Jung Un Ally Choi, Shiva Muthuswamy, Marco A. Enriquez Martinez, Jan Lauko, Amanda W. Kijas, Alan E. Rowan, Sensitive label free imaging of 3D cell models with minimal toxicity using confocal reflectance. Biomaterials Science, 2024-09 (2024).