@phdthesis{13107,
  abstract     = {Within the human body, the brain exhibits the highest rate of energy consumption amongst all organs, with the majority of generated ATP being utilized to sustain neuronal activity. Therefore, the metabolism of the mature cerebral cortex is geared towards preserving metabolic homeostasis whilst generating significant amounts of energy. This requires a precise interplay between diverse metabolic pathways, spanning from a tissue-wide scale to the level of individual neurons. Disturbances to this delicate metabolic equilibrium, such as those resulting from maternal malnutrition
or mutations affecting metabolic enzymes, often result in neuropathological variants of neurodevelopment. For instance, mutations in SLC7A5, a transporter of metabolically essential large neutral amino acids (LNAAs), have been associated with autism and microcephaly. However, despite recent progress in the field, the extent of metabolic restructuring that occurs within the developing brain and the corresponding alterations in nutrient demands during various critical periods remain largely unknown. To investigate this, we performed metabolomic profiling of the murine cerebral cortex to characterize the metabolic state of the forebrain at different developmental stages. We found that the developing cortex undergoes substantial metabolic reprogramming, with specific sets of metabolites displaying stage-specific changes. According to our observations, we determined a distinct temporal period in postnatal development during which the cortex displays heightened reliance on LNAAs. Hence, using a conditional knock-out mouse model, we deleted Slc7a5 in neural cells, allowing us to monitor the impact of a perturbed neuronal metabolic state across multiple developmental stages of corticogenesis. We found that manipulating the levels of essential LNAAs in cortical neurons in vivo affects one particular perinatal developmental period critical for cortical network refinement. Abnormally low intracellular LNAA levels result in cell-autonomous alterations in neuronal lipid metabolism, excitability, and survival during this particular time window. Although most of the effects of Slc7a5 deletion on neuronal physiology are transient, derailment of these processes during this brief but crucial window leads to long-term circuit dysfunction in mice. In conclusion, out data indicate that the cerebral cortex undergoes significant metabolic reorganization during development. This process involves the intricate integration of multiple metabolic pathways to ensure optimal neuronal function throughout different developmental stages. Our findings offer a paradigm for understanding how neurons synchronize the expression of nutrient-related genes with their activity to allow proper brain maturation. Further, our results demonstrate that disruptions in these precisely calibrated metabolic processes during critical periods of brain development may result in neuropathological outcomes in mice and in humans.},
  author       = {Knaus, Lisa},
  issn         = {2663 - 337X},
  pages        = {147},
  publisher    = {Institute of Science and Technology Austria},
  title        = {{The metabolism of the developing brain : How large neutral amino acids modulate perinatal neuronal excitability and survival}},
  doi          = {10.15479/at:ista:13107},
  year         = {2023},
}

@misc{13116,
  abstract     = {The emergence of large-scale order in self-organized systems relies on local interactions between individual components. During bacterial cell division, FtsZ -- a prokaryotic homologue of the eukaryotic protein tubulin -- polymerizes into treadmilling filaments that further organize into a cytoskeletal ring. In vitro, FtsZ filaments can form dynamic chiral assemblies. However, how the active and passive properties of individual filaments relate to these large-scale self-organized structures remains poorly understood. Here, we connect single filament properties with the mesoscopic scale by combining minimal active matter simulations and biochemical reconstitution experiments. We show that density and flexibility of active chiral filaments define their global order. At intermediate densities, curved, flexible filaments organize into chiral rings and polar bands. An effectively nematic organization dominates for high densities and for straight, mutant filaments with increased rigidity. Our predicted phase diagram captures these features quantitatively, demonstrating how the flexibility, density and chirality of active filaments affect their collective behaviour. Our findings shed light on the fundamental properties of active chiral matter and explain how treadmilling FtsZ filaments organize during bacterial cell division. },
  author       = {Dunajova, Zuzana and Prats Mateu, Batirtze and Radler, Philipp and Lim, Keesiang and Brandis, Dörte and Velicky, Philipp and Danzl, Johann G and Wong, Richard W. and Elgeti, Jens and Hannezo, Edouard B and Loose, Martin},
  publisher    = {Institute of Science and Technology Austria},
  title        = {{Chiral and nematic phases of flexible active filaments}},
  doi          = {10.15479/AT:ISTA:13116},
  year         = {2023},
}

@misc{13126,
  abstract     = {Mapping the complex and dense arrangement of cells and their connectivity in brain tissue demands nanoscale spatial resolution imaging. Super-resolution optical microscopy excels at visualizing specific molecules and individual cells but fails to provide tissue context. Here, we developed Comprehensive Analysis of Tissues across Scales (CATS), a technology to densely map brain tissue architecture from millimeter regional to nanometer synaptic scales in diverse chemically fixed brain preparations, including rodent and human. CATS uses fixation-compatible extracellular labeling and optical imaging, including stimulated emission depletion or expansion microscopy, to comprehensively delineate cellular structures. It enables three-dimensional reconstruction of single synapses and mapping of synaptic connectivity by identification and analysis of putative synaptic cleft regions. Applying CATS to the mouse hippocampal mossy fiber circuitry, we reconstructed and quantified the synaptic input and output structure of identified neurons. We furthermore demonstrate applicability to clinically derived human tissue samples, including formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded routine diagnostic specimens, for visualizing the cellular architecture of brain tissue in health and disease.},
  author       = {Danzl, Johann G},
  publisher    = {Institute of Science and Technology Austria},
  title        = {{Research data for the publication "Imaging brain tissue architecture across millimeter to nanometer scales"}},
  doi          = {10.15479/AT:ISTA:13126},
  year         = {2023},
}

@article{13212,
  abstract     = {Auxin is the major plant hormone regulating growth and development (Friml, 2022). Forward genetic approaches in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana have identified major components of auxin signalling and established the canonical mechanism mediating transcriptional and thus developmental reprogramming. In this textbook view, TRANSPORT INHIBITOR RESPONSE 1 (TIR1)/AUXIN-SIGNALING F-BOX (AFBs) are auxin receptors, which act as F-box subunits determining the substrate specificity of the Skp1-Cullin1-F box protein (SCF) type E3 ubiquitin ligase complex. Auxin acts as a “molecular glue” increasing the affinity between TIR1/AFBs and the Aux/IAA repressors. Subsequently, Aux/IAAs are ubiquitinated and degraded, thus releasing auxin transcription factors from their repression making them free to mediate transcription of auxin response genes (Yu et al., 2022). Nonetheless, accumulating evidence suggests existence of rapid, non-transcriptional responses downstream of TIR1/AFBs such as auxin-induced cytosolic calcium (Ca2+) transients, plasma membrane depolarization and apoplast alkalinisation, all converging on the process of root growth inhibition and root gravitropism (Li et al., 2022). Particularly, these rapid responses are mostly contributed by predominantly cytosolic AFB1, while the long-term growth responses are mediated by mainly nuclear TIR1 and AFB2-AFB5 (Li et al., 2021; Prigge et al., 2020; Serre et al., 2021). How AFB1 conducts auxin-triggered rapid responses and how it is different from TIR1 and AFB2-AFB5 remains elusive. Here, we compare the roles of TIR1 and AFB1 in transcriptional and rapid responses by modulating their subcellular localization in Arabidopsis and by testing their ability to mediate transcriptional responses when part of the minimal auxin circuit reconstituted in yeast.},
  author       = {Chen, Huihuang and Li, Lanxin and Zou, Minxia and Qi, Linlin and Friml, Jiří},
  issn         = {1674-2052},
  journal      = {Molecular Plant},
  number       = {7},
  pages        = {1117--1119},
  publisher    = {Elsevier },
  title        = {{Distinct functions of TIR1 and AFB1 receptors in auxin signalling.}},
  doi          = {10.1016/j.molp.2023.06.007},
  volume       = {16},
  year         = {2023},
}

@article{13267,
  abstract     = {Three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of living brain tissue down to an individual synapse level would create opportunities for decoding the dynamics and structure–function relationships of the brain’s complex and dense information processing network; however, this has been hindered by insufficient 3D resolution, inadequate signal-to-noise ratio and prohibitive light burden in optical imaging, whereas electron microscopy is inherently static. Here we solved these challenges by developing an integrated optical/machine-learning technology, LIONESS (live information-optimized nanoscopy enabling saturated segmentation). This leverages optical modifications to stimulated emission depletion microscopy in comprehensively, extracellularly labeled tissue and previous information on sample structure via machine learning to simultaneously achieve isotropic super-resolution, high signal-to-noise ratio and compatibility with living tissue. This allows dense deep-learning-based instance segmentation and 3D reconstruction at a synapse level, incorporating molecular, activity and morphodynamic information. LIONESS opens up avenues for studying the dynamic functional (nano-)architecture of living brain tissue.},
  author       = {Velicky, Philipp and Miguel Villalba, Eder and Michalska, Julia M and Lyudchik, Julia and Wei, Donglai and Lin, Zudi and Watson, Jake and Troidl, Jakob and Beyer, Johanna and Ben Simon, Yoav and Sommer, Christoph M and Jahr, Wiebke and Cenameri, Alban and Broichhagen, Johannes and Grant, Seth G.N. and Jonas, Peter M and Novarino, Gaia and Pfister, Hanspeter and Bickel, Bernd and Danzl, Johann G},
  issn         = {1548-7105},
  journal      = {Nature Methods},
  pages        = {1256--1265},
  publisher    = {Springer Nature},
  title        = {{Dense 4D nanoscale reconstruction of living brain tissue}},
  doi          = {10.1038/s41592-023-01936-6},
  volume       = {20},
  year         = {2023},
}

@article{13314,
  abstract     = {The emergence of large-scale order in self-organized systems relies on local interactions between individual components. During bacterial cell division, FtsZ—a prokaryotic homologue of the eukaryotic protein tubulin—polymerizes into treadmilling filaments that further organize into a cytoskeletal ring. In vitro, FtsZ filaments can form dynamic chiral assemblies. However, how the active and passive properties of individual filaments relate to these large-scale self-organized structures remains poorly understood. Here we connect single-filament properties with the mesoscopic scale by combining minimal active matter simulations and biochemical reconstitution experiments. We show that the density and flexibility of active chiral filaments define their global order. At intermediate densities, curved, flexible filaments organize into chiral rings and polar bands. An effectively nematic organization dominates for high densities and for straight, mutant filaments with increased rigidity. Our predicted phase diagram quantitatively captures these features, demonstrating how the flexibility, density and chirality of the active filaments affect their collective behaviour. Our findings shed light on the fundamental properties of active chiral matter and explain how treadmilling FtsZ filaments organize during bacterial cell division.},
  author       = {Dunajova, Zuzana and Prats Mateu, Batirtze and Radler, Philipp and Lim, Keesiang and Brandis, Dörte and Velicky, Philipp and Danzl, Johann G and Wong, Richard W. and Elgeti, Jens and Hannezo, Edouard B and Loose, Martin},
  issn         = {1745-2481},
  journal      = {Nature Physics},
  pages        = {1916--1926},
  publisher    = {Springer Nature},
  title        = {{Chiral and nematic phases of flexible active filaments}},
  doi          = {10.1038/s41567-023-02218-w},
  volume       = {19},
  year         = {2023},
}

@article{14082,
  abstract     = {Epithelial barrier function is commonly analyzed using transepithelial electrical resistance, which measures ion flux across a monolayer, or by adding traceable macromolecules and monitoring their passage across the monolayer. Although these methods measure changes in global barrier function, they lack the sensitivity needed to detect local or transient barrier breaches, and they do not reveal the location of barrier leaks. Therefore, we previously developed a method that we named the zinc-based ultrasensitive microscopic barrier assay (ZnUMBA), which overcomes these limitations, allowing for detection of local tight junction leaks with high spatiotemporal resolution. Here, we present expanded applications for ZnUMBA. ZnUMBA can be used in Xenopus embryos to measure the dynamics of barrier restoration and actin accumulation following laser injury. ZnUMBA can also be effectively utilized in developing zebrafish embryos as well as cultured monolayers of Madin–Darby canine kidney (MDCK) II epithelial cells. ZnUMBA is a powerful and flexible method that, with minimal optimization, can be applied to multiple systems to measure dynamic changes in barrier function with spatiotemporal precision.},
  author       = {Higashi, Tomohito and Stephenson, Rachel E. and Schwayer, Cornelia and Huljev, Karla and Higashi, Atsuko Y. and Heisenberg, Carl-Philipp J and Chiba, Hideki and Miller, Ann L.},
  issn         = {1477-9137},
  journal      = {Journal of Cell Science},
  number       = {15},
  publisher    = {The Company of Biologists},
  title        = {{ZnUMBA - a live imaging method to detect local barrier breaches}},
  doi          = {10.1242/jcs.260668},
  volume       = {136},
  year         = {2023},
}

@article{14257,
  abstract     = {Mapping the complex and dense arrangement of cells and their connectivity in brain tissue demands nanoscale spatial resolution imaging. Super-resolution optical microscopy excels at visualizing specific molecules and individual cells but fails to provide tissue context. Here we developed Comprehensive Analysis of Tissues across Scales (CATS), a technology to densely map brain tissue architecture from millimeter regional to nanometer synaptic scales in diverse chemically fixed brain preparations, including rodent and human. CATS uses fixation-compatible extracellular labeling and optical imaging, including stimulated emission depletion or expansion microscopy, to comprehensively delineate cellular structures. It enables three-dimensional reconstruction of single synapses and mapping of synaptic connectivity by identification and analysis of putative synaptic cleft regions. Applying CATS to the mouse hippocampal mossy fiber circuitry, we reconstructed and quantified the synaptic input and output structure of identified neurons. We furthermore demonstrate applicability to clinically derived human tissue samples, including formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded routine diagnostic specimens, for visualizing the cellular architecture of brain tissue in health and disease.},
  author       = {Michalska, Julia M and Lyudchik, Julia and Velicky, Philipp and Korinkova, Hana and Watson, Jake and Cenameri, Alban and Sommer, Christoph M and Amberg, Nicole and Venturino, Alessandro and Roessler, Karl and Czech, Thomas and Höftberger, Romana and Siegert, Sandra and Novarino, Gaia and Jonas, Peter M and Danzl, Johann G},
  issn         = {1546-1696},
  journal      = {Nature Biotechnology},
  publisher    = {Springer Nature},
  title        = {{Imaging brain tissue architecture across millimeter to nanometer scales}},
  doi          = {10.1038/s41587-023-01911-8},
  year         = {2023},
}

@phdthesis{14280,
  abstract     = {Cell division in Escherichia coli is performed by the divisome, a multi-protein complex composed of more than 30 proteins. The divisome spans from the cytoplasm through the inner membrane to the cell wall and the outer membrane. Divisome assembly is initiated by a cytoskeletal structure, the so-called Z-ring, which localizes at the center of the E. coli cell and determines the position of the future cell septum. The Z-ring is composed of the highly conserved bacterial tubulin homologue FtsZ, which forms treadmilling filaments. These filaments are recruited to the inner membrane by FtsA, a highly conserved bacterial actin homologue. FtsA interacts with other proteins in the periplasm and thus connects the cytoplasmic and periplasmic components of the divisome. 
A previous model postulated that FtsA regulates maturation of the divisome by switching from an oligomeric, inactive state to a monomeric and active state. This model was based mostly on in vivo studies, as a biochemical characterization of FtsA has been hampered by difficulties in purifying the protein. Here, we studied FtsA using an in vitro reconstitution approach and aimed to answer two questions: (i) How are dynamics from cytoplasmic, treadmilling FtsZ filaments coupled to proteins acting in the periplasmic space and (ii) How does FtsA regulate the maturation of the divisome?
We found that the cytoplasmic peptides of the transmembrane proteins FtsN and FtsQ interact directly with FtsA and can follow the spatiotemporal signal of FtsA/Z filaments. When we investigated the underlying mechanism by imaging single molecules of FtsNcyto, we found the peptide to interact transiently with FtsA. An in depth analysis of the single molecule trajectories helped to postulate a model where PG synthases follow the dynamics of FtsZ by a diffusion and capture mechanism. 
Following up on these findings we were interested in how the self-interaction of FtsA changes when it encounters FtsNcyto and if we can confirm the proposed oligomer-monomer switch. For this, we compared the behavior of the previously identified, hyperactive mutant FtsA R286W with wildtype FtsA. The mutant outperforms WT in mirroring and transmitting the spatiotemporal signal of treadmilling FtsZ filaments. Surprisingly however, we found that this was not due to a difference in the self-interaction strength of the two variants, but a difference in their membrane residence time. Furthermore, in contrast to our expectations, upon binding of FtsNcyto the measured self-interaction of FtsA actually increased. 
We propose that FtsNcyto induces a rearrangement of the oligomeric architecture of FtsA. In further consequence this change leads to more persistent FtsZ filaments which results in a defined signalling zone, allowing formation of the mature divisome. The observed difference between FtsA WT and R286W is due to the vastly different membrane turnover of the proteins. R286W cycles 5-10x faster compared to WT which allows to sample FtsZ filaments at faster frequencies. These findings can explain the observed differences in toxicity for overexpression of FtsA WT and R286W and help to understand how FtsA regulates divisome maturation.},
  author       = {Radler, Philipp},
  isbn         = {978-3-99078-033-6},
  issn         = {2663-337X},
  keywords     = {Cell Division, Reconstitution, FtsZ, FtsA, Divisome, E.coli},
  pages        = {156},
  publisher    = {Institute of Science and Technology Austria},
  title        = {{Spatiotemporal signaling during assembly of the bacterial divisome}},
  doi          = {10.15479/at:ista:14280},
  year         = {2023},
}

@phdthesis{14323,
  abstract     = {Morphogens are signaling molecules that are known for their prominent role in pattern formation within developing tissues. In addition to patterning, morphogens also control tissue growth. However, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. We studied the role of morphogens in regulating tissue growth in the developing vertebrate neural tube. In this system, opposing morphogen gradients of Shh and BMP establish the dorsoventral pattern of neural progenitor domains. Perturbations in these morphogen pathways result in alterations in tissue growth and cell cycle progression, however, it has been unclear what cellular process is affected. To address this, we analysed the rates of cell proliferation and cell death in mouse mutants in which signaling is perturbed, as well as in chick neural plate explants exposed to defined concentrations of signaling activators or inhibitors. Our results indicated that the rate of cell proliferation was not altered in these assays. By contrast, both the Shh and BMP signaling pathways had profound effects on neural progenitor survival. Our results indicate that these pathways synergise to promote cell survival within neural progenitors. Consistent with this, we found that progenitors within the intermediate region of the neural tube, where the combined levels of Shh and BMP are the lowest, are most prone to cell death when signaling activity is inhibited. In addition, we found that downregulation of Shh results in increased apoptosis within the roof plate, which is the dorsal source of BMP ligand production. This revealed a cross-interaction between the Shh and BMP morphogen signaling pathways that may be relevant for understanding how gradients scale in neural tubes with different overall sizes. We further studied the mechanism acting downstream of Shh in cell survival regulation using genetic and genomic approaches. We propose that Shh transcriptionally regulates a non-canonical apoptotic pathway. Altogether, our study points to a novel role of opposing morphogen gradients in tissue size regulation and provides new insights into complex interactions between Shh and BMP signaling gradients in the neural tube.},
  author       = {Kuzmicz-Kowalska, Katarzyna},
  issn         = {2663 - 337X},
  pages        = {151},
  publisher    = {Institute of Science and Technology Austria},
  title        = {{Regulation of neural progenitor survival by Shh and BMP in the developing spinal cord}},
  doi          = {10.15479/at:ista:14323},
  year         = {2023},
}

@article{14361,
  abstract     = {Whether one considers swarming insects, flocking birds, or bacterial colonies, collective motion arises from the coordination of individuals and entails the adjustment of their respective velocities. In particular, in close confinements, such as those encountered by dense cell populations during development or regeneration, collective migration can only arise coordinately. Yet, how individuals unify their velocities is often not understood. Focusing on a finite number of cells in circular confinements, we identify waves of polymerizing actin that function as a pacemaker governing the speed of individual cells. We show that the onset of collective motion coincides with the synchronization of the wave nucleation frequencies across the population. Employing a simpler and more readily accessible mechanical model system of active spheres, we identify the synchronization of the individuals’ internal oscillators as one of the essential requirements to reach the corresponding collective state. The mechanical ‘toy’ experiment illustrates that the global synchronous state is achieved by nearest neighbor coupling. We suggest by analogy that local coupling and the synchronization of actin waves are essential for the emergent, self-organized motion of cell collectives.},
  author       = {Riedl, Michael and Mayer, Isabelle D and Merrin, Jack and Sixt, Michael K and Hof, Björn},
  issn         = {2041-1723},
  journal      = {Nature Communications},
  publisher    = {Springer Nature},
  title        = {{Synchronization in collectively moving inanimate and living active matter}},
  doi          = {10.1038/s41467-023-41432-1},
  volume       = {14},
  year         = {2023},
}

@article{14363,
  abstract     = {Mitochondrial networks remodel their connectivity, content, and subcellular localization to support optimized energy production in conditions of increased environmental or cellular stress. Microglia rely on mitochondria to respond to these stressors, however our knowledge about mitochondrial networks and their adaptations in microglia in vivo is limited. Here, we generate a mouse model that selectively labels mitochondria in microglia. We identify that mitochondrial networks are more fragmented with increased content and perinuclear localization in vitro vs. in vivo. Mitochondrial networks adapt similarly in microglia closest to the injury site after optic nerve crush. Preventing microglial UCP2 increase after injury by selective knockout induces cellular stress. This results in mitochondrial hyperfusion in male microglia, a phenotype absent in females due to circulating estrogens. Our results establish the foundation for mitochondrial network analysis of microglia in vivo, emphasizing the importance of mitochondrial-based sex effects of microglia in other pathologies.},
  author       = {Maes, Margaret E and Colombo, Gloria and Schoot Uiterkamp, Florianne E and Sternberg, Felix and Venturino, Alessandro and Pohl, Elena E. and Siegert, Sandra},
  issn         = {2589-0042},
  journal      = {iScience},
  number       = {10},
  publisher    = {Elsevier},
  title        = {{Mitochondrial network adaptations of microglia reveal sex-specific stress response after injury and UCP2 knockout}},
  doi          = {10.1016/j.isci.2023.107780},
  volume       = {26},
  year         = {2023},
}

@phdthesis{14510,
  author       = {Gnyliukh, Nataliia},
  isbn         = {978-3-99078-037-4},
  issn         = {2663-337X},
  keywords     = {Clathrin-Mediated Endocytosis, vesicle scission, Dynamin-Related Protein 2, SH3P2, TPLATE complex, Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy, Arabidopsis thaliana},
  pages        = {180},
  publisher    = {Institute of Science and Technology Austria},
  title        = {{Mechanism of clathrin-coated vesicle  formation during endocytosis in plants}},
  doi          = {10.15479/at:ista:14510},
  year         = {2023},
}

@phdthesis{14530,
  abstract     = {Most motions of many-body systems at any scale in nature with sufficient degrees of freedom tend to be chaotic; reaching from the orbital motion of planets, the air currents in our atmosphere, down to the water flowing through our pipelines or the movement of a population of bacteria. To the observer it is therefore intriguing when a moving collective exhibits order. Collective motion of flocks of birds, schools of fish or swarms of self-propelled particles or robots have been studied extensively over the past decades but the mechanisms involved in the transition from chaos to order remain unclear. Here, the interactions, that in most systems give rise to chaos, sustain order.  In this thesis we investigate mechanisms that preserve, destabilize or lead to the ordered state. We show that endothelial cells migrating in circular confinements transition to a collective rotating state and concomitantly synchronize the frequencies of nucleating actin waves within individual cells. Consequently, the frequency dependent cell migration speed uniformizes across the population. Complementary to the WAVE dependent nucleation of traveling actin waves, we show that in leukocytes the actin polymerization depending on WASp generates pushing forces locally at stationary patches. Next, in pipe flows, we study methods to disrupt the self--sustaining cycle of turbulence and therefore relaminarize the flow. While we find in pulsating flow conditions that turbulence emerges through a helical instability during the decelerating phase. Finally, we show quantitatively in brain slices of mice that wild-type control neurons can compensate the migratory deficits of a genetically modified neuronal sub--population in the developing cortex.  },
  author       = {Riedl, Michael},
  issn         = {2663 - 337X},
  keywords     = {Synchronization, Collective Movement, Active Matter, Cell Migration, Active Colloids},
  pages        = {260},
  publisher    = {Institute of Science and Technology Austria},
  title        = {{Synchronization in collectively moving active matter}},
  doi          = {10.15479/14530},
  year         = {2023},
}

@phdthesis{14547,
  abstract     = {Superconductor-semiconductor heterostructures currently capture a significant amount of research interest and they serve as the physical platform in many proposals towards topological quantum computation.
Despite being under extensive investigations, historically using transport techniques, the basic properties of the interface between the superconductor and the semiconductor remain to be understood.

In this thesis, two separate studies on the Al-InAs heterostructures are reported with the first focusing on the physics of the material motivated by the emergence of a new phase, the Bogoliubov-Fermi surface. 
The second focuses on a technological application, a gate-tunable Josephson parametric amplifier.

In the first study, we investigate the hypothesized unconventional nature of the induced superconductivity at the interface between the Al thin film and the InAs quantum well.
We embed a two-dimensional Al-InAs hybrid system in a resonant microwave circuit allowing measurements of change in inductance.
The behaviour of the resonance in a range of temperature and in-plane magnetic field has been studied and compared with the theory of conventional s-wave superconductor and a two-component theory that includes both contribution of the $s$-wave pairing in Al and the intraband $p \pm ip$ pairing in InAs.
Measuring the temperature dependence of resonant frequency, no discrepancy is found between data and the conventional theory.
We observe the breakdown of superconductivity due to an applied magnetic field which contradicts the conventional theory.
In contrast, the data can be captured quantitatively by fitting to a two-component model.
We find the evidence of the intraband $p \pm ip$ pairing in the InAs and the emergence of the Bogoliubov-Fermi surfaces due to magnetic field with the characteristic value $B^* = 0.33~\mathrm{T}$.
From the fits, the sheet resistance of Al, the carrier density and mobility in InAs are determined.
By systematically studying the anisotropy of the circuit response, we find weak anisotropy for $B < B^*$ and increasingly strong anisotropy for $B > B^*$ resulting in a pronounced two-lobe structure in polar plot of frequency versus field angle.
Strong resemblance between the field dependence of dissipation and superfluid density hints at a hidden signature of the Bogoliubov-Fermi surface that is burried in the dissipation data.

In the second study, we realize a parametric amplifier with a Josephson field effect transistor as the active element.
The device's modest construction consists of a gated SNS weak link embedded at the center of a coplanar waveguide resonator.
By applying a gate voltage, the resonant frequency is field-effect tunable over a range of 2 GHz.
Modelling the JoFET minimally as a parallel RL circuit, the dissipation introduced by the JoFET can be quantitatively related to the gate voltage.
We observed gate-tunable Kerr nonlinearity qualitatively in line with expectation.
The JoFET amplifier has 20 dB of gain, 4 MHz of instantaneous bandwidth, and a 1dB compression point of -125.5 dBm when operated at a fixed resonant frequency.
In general, the signal-to-noise ratio is improved by 5-7 dB when the JoFET amplifier is activated compared.
The noise of the measurement chain and insertion loss of relevant circuit elements are calibrated to determine the expected and the real noise performance of the JoFET amplifier.
As a quantification of the noise performance, the measured total input-referred noise of the JoFET amplifier is in good agreement with the estimated expectation which takes device loss into account.
We found that the noise performance of the device reported in this document approaches one photon of total input-referred added noise which is the quantum limit imposed in nondegenerate parametric amplifier.},
  author       = {Phan, Duc T},
  issn         = {2663 - 337X},
  keywords     = {superconductor-semiconductor, superconductivity, Al, InAs, p-wave, superconductivity, JPA, microwave},
  pages        = {80},
  publisher    = {Institute of Science and Technology Austria},
  title        = {{Resonant microwave spectroscopy of Al-InAs}},
  doi          = {10.15479/14547},
  year         = {2023},
}

@unpublished{14591,
  abstract     = {Clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) is vital for the regulation of plant growth and development by controlling plasma membrane protein composition and cargo uptake. CME relies on the precise recruitment of regulators for vesicle maturation and release. Homologues of components of mammalian vesicle scission are strong candidates to be part of the scissin machinery in plants, but the precise roles of these proteins in this process is not fully understood. Here, we characterised the roles of Plant Dynamin-Related Proteins 2 (DRP2s) and SH3-domain containing protein 2 (SH3P2), the plant homologue to Dynamins’ recruiters, like Endophilin and Amphiphysin, in the CME by combining high-resolution imaging of endocytic events in vivo and characterisation of the purified proteins in vitro. Although DRP2s and SH3P2 arrive similarly late during CME and physically interact, genetic analysis of the Dsh3p1,2,3 triple-mutant and complementation assays with non-SH3P2-interacting DRP2 variants suggests that SH3P2 does not directly recruit DRP2s to the site of endocytosis. These observations imply that despite the presence of many well-conserved endocytic components, plants have acquired a distinct mechanism for CME. One Sentence Summary In contrast to predictions based on mammalian systems, plant Dynamin-related proteins 2 are recruited to the site of Clathrin-mediated endocytosis independently of BAR-SH3 proteins.},
  author       = {Gnyliukh, Nataliia and Johnson, Alexander J and Nagel, Marie-Kristin and Monzer, Aline and Hlavata, Annamaria and Isono, Erika and Loose, Martin and Friml, Jiří},
  booktitle    = {bioRxiv},
  title        = {{Role of dynamin-related proteins 2 and SH3P2 in clathrin-mediated endocytosis in plants}},
  doi          = {10.1101/2023.10.09.561523},
  year         = {2023},
}

@phdthesis{14641,
  author       = {Hennessey-Wesen, Mike},
  issn         = {2663 - 337X},
  keywords     = {microfluidics, miceobiology, mutations, quorum sensing},
  pages        = {104},
  publisher    = {Institute of Science and Technology Austria},
  title        = {{Adaptive mutation in E. coli modulated by luxS}},
  doi          = {10.15479/at:ista:14641},
  year         = {2023},
}

@article{14683,
  abstract     = {Mosaic analysis with double markers (MADM) technology enables the generation of genetic mosaic tissue in mice and high-resolution phenotyping at the individual cell level. Here, we present a protocol for isolating MADM-labeled cells with high yield for downstream molecular analyses using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). We describe steps for generating MADM-labeled mice, perfusion, single-cell suspension, and debris removal. We then detail procedures for cell sorting by FACS and downstream analysis. This protocol is suitable for embryonic to adult mice.
For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Contreras et al. (2021).1},
  author       = {Amberg, Nicole and Cheung, Giselle T and Hippenmeyer, Simon},
  issn         = {2666-1667},
  journal      = {STAR Protocols},
  keywords     = {General Immunology and Microbiology, General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology, General Neuroscience},
  number       = {1},
  publisher    = {Elsevier},
  title        = {{Protocol for sorting cells from mouse brains labeled with mosaic analysis with double markers by flow cytometry}},
  doi          = {10.1016/j.xpro.2023.102771},
  volume       = {5},
  year         = {2023},
}

@phdthesis{14697,
  author       = {Stopp, Julian A},
  isbn         = {978-3-99078-038-1},
  issn         = {2663 - 337X},
  pages        = {226},
  publisher    = {Institute of Science and Technology Austria},
  title        = {{Neutrophils on the hunt: Migratory strategies employed by neutrophils to fulfill their effector function}},
  doi          = {10.15479/at:ista:14697},
  year         = {2023},
}

@article{12209,
  abstract     = {Embryo development requires biochemical signalling to generate patterns of cell fates and active mechanical forces to drive tissue shape changes. However, how these processes are coordinated, and how tissue patterning is preserved despite the cellular flows occurring during morphogenesis, remains poorly understood. Gastrulation is a crucial embryonic stage that involves both patterning and internalization of the mesendoderm germ layer tissue. Here we show that, in zebrafish embryos, a gradient in Nodal signalling orchestrates pattern-preserving internalization movements by triggering a motility-driven unjamming transition. In addition to its role as a morphogen determining embryo patterning, graded Nodal signalling mechanically subdivides the mesendoderm into a small fraction of highly protrusive leader cells, able to autonomously internalize via local unjamming, and less protrusive followers, which need to be pulled inwards by the leaders. The Nodal gradient further enforces a code of preferential adhesion coupling leaders to their immediate followers, resulting in a collective and ordered mode of internalization that preserves mesendoderm patterning. Integrating this dual mechanical role of Nodal signalling into minimal active particle simulations quantitatively predicts both physiological and experimentally perturbed internalization movements. This provides a quantitative framework for how a morphogen-encoded unjamming transition can bidirectionally couple tissue mechanics with patterning during complex three-dimensional morphogenesis.},
  author       = {Nunes Pinheiro, Diana C and Kardos, Roland and Hannezo, Edouard B and Heisenberg, Carl-Philipp J},
  issn         = {1745-2481},
  journal      = {Nature Physics},
  keywords     = {General Physics and Astronomy},
  number       = {12},
  pages        = {1482--1493},
  publisher    = {Springer Nature},
  title        = {{Morphogen gradient orchestrates pattern-preserving tissue morphogenesis via motility-driven unjamming}},
  doi          = {10.1038/s41567-022-01787-6},
  volume       = {18},
  year         = {2022},
}

