Dr. Filiz Ates
Senior Fellow, October 2026 to March 2027
University of Stuttgart
- Head of the Experimental Biomechanics Research Group at the Institute of Structural Mechanics and Dynamics in Aerospace Engineering, University of Stuttgart, since 2020.
- PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Boğaziçi University, Istanbul, followed by a habilitation in Aerospace Engineering and Geodesy at the University of Stuttgart, with research focused on the in vivo mechanical behavior of skeletal muscle and its adaptation to aging.
- Internationally experienced biomedical engineer whose interdisciplinary research combines experimental biomechanics, imaging, and computational methods to investigate skeletal muscle function across scales, from the cellular level to the whole body.
Fellow project: „Multi-Scale Understanding of Force Transmission in Skeletal Muscle for Artificial Muscle Design“
Skeletal muscle is essential not only for movement but also for maintaining posture, protecting joints, and supporting metabolic health. When large amounts of muscle tissue are lost due to injury, surgery, or disease, a condition known as volumetric muscle loss, patients often face permanent weakness and loss of function. Current treatments, such as physical therapy or muscle grafts, cannot fully restore the intricate structure and function of healthy muscle. New technologies such as artificial muscles offer hope, but most existing designs cannot mimic how real muscle tissues distribute and transmit forces in multiple directions and across different biological scales.
This project addresses a fundamental knowledge gap: how mechanical forces are transmitted within and between muscle fibers, especially through the surrounding connective tissue, which plays a crucial role in coordinating muscle contraction. Building on recent experimental findings, the applicant has shown that removing tiny connective structures between adjacent muscle fibers leads to a significant loss in force production. These insights suggest that the connective tissue is not just structural support; it is actively involved in muscle function.
In collaboration with the experts in biophysics and molecular imaging at the host institution, this project will investigate how specific proteins, such as dystrophin, desmin, vinculin, and integrins, help link the muscle interior to its surrounding matrix. Using a combination of imaging and mechanical testing at the myofiber level, the study aims to map how these proteins contribute to muscle performance. The results will guide the development of future artificial muscles that can better replicate the mechanical behavior of biological tissue. This interdisciplinary collaboration lays the groundwork for improved treatments in regenerative medicine and smarter bioengineered systems in rehabilitation.