Dr Lennart Kuck

I am a passionate mechanobiologist, with a particular interest in mechanotransduction pathways in erythrocytes, encompassing fundamental mechanisms of mechanosensing ion channels and clinical translation. I currently work as a postdoctoral scientist at the Cardiac Mechanobiology Laboratory, hosted within The Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute. I moved to Australia from Germany to complete a Master of Medical Research (2018) and a Doctorate (2023) prior to winning a competitive research fellowship (2023-2025) and taking up a postdoctoral position at the VCCRI.

I am internationally established in the field of red blood signalling, with 19 articles published in peer-reviewed journals, and 28 peer-reviewed abstracts presented at Australian and international field-leading conferences. My laboratory expertise extends from dynamic live-cell imaging and molecular interrogation of ion channel function to biophysical and biochemical techniques used to assess the red blood cell membrane. My work comprehensively shows that the mechanosensitive channel Piezo1 is vital to red blood cell function, which is relevant to red cell lifespan and removal from circulation, and appears involved in propagating cardiovascular complications in type 2 diabetes.

My long-term vision is to embark on an independent academic research career with the aim of contributing to the development of first-generation erythrocyte-based therapeutics and shaping the next generation of life scientists through passionate mentoring.