Gabriella MoscaPh.D. – Physicist, Biomechanicsexpert

Bärenbohlstrasse 478046 Zürich, (CH)

H +39 335 5348 864B gabriella.mosca@botinst.uzh.ch

Í www.gabriella-mosca.com

Born on March 15, 1983Italian citizen

A physicist used to work in international and interdisciplinary teams, a fast and motivated learnerwith strong analytical and communication skills.

Main Scientific Skills– Knowledge of solid continuum mechanics and mechanics of biological growth.– FEM-based mechanical simulations (development of C++ software, paralle-

lised for HPC using the GPU) for multicellular and continuous structures(steady state mechanics and growth).

– Confocal microscopy image processing and analysis with MorphoGraphX (in-cluded ad-hoc plugins development).

– Experience with cellular force microscopy (CFM) and atomic force microscopy(AFM).

Computer skillsLanguages C/C++, Python, Matlab, Fortran, Bash

CodeParallelization

CUDA, OMP, MPI

Software MS Office, Abaqus, MorphoGraphX, MorphoMechanX (developer), Imaris,LATEX, Git, Gimp, Gnuplot, Paraview, Inkscape, Illustrator, Photoshop

Op. systems Linux, macOS, Windows

Experience2018 – 2020 Postdoc, Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zürich,

Switzerland.

– Development, in Célia Baroux lab, of a modeling framework and protocols tosimulate the bio-mechanical processes involved in the ovule development inplant germline both in 2D (cell growth and division, spring-based model) and3D (FEM-based modeling of cell mechanics and growth).

– Development of ad-hoc image analysis tools to caractherize cell morphologyand topology in 3D for the ovule in the plant germline.

– Finalisation of the user friendly FEM-based software MorphoMechanX(wwww.morphomechanx.org), which allows to model in a GUI cell mechanicsand growth in 2/3D at cellular resolution.

– Collaborations:- Arezki Boudaoud and Christophe Godin groups at the ENS in Lyon (FR)

for modeling of biomechanical properties in plant tissues (Arabidopsis ovuleand meristem);

- Miltos Tsiantis and Angela Hay groups at the MPIPZ in Cologne (DE)where the software MorphoMechanX is used for various projects;

- Richard Smith group at the JIC, Norwich (UK) for the finalization of astable release of MorphoMechanX and further expansions.

2019 Intern, Software developer at Bitplane, Zürich, Switzerland.Duration: 2 months

2016 – 2017 Postdoc, Department of Comparative Development and Genetics, Max PlanckInstitute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, Germany.– Modeling of plant growth in 3D with a computational approach based on

simulations of continuum mechanics for growth (in-house built software usingFEM).

– Development of the FEM-based software required for the aforementioned mo-deling (inclusion of growth, biochemical signaling, solid elements).

– Collaboration with the group of Prof. Damian Brunner at the University ofZürich for the modeling of drosophila dorsal closure.

Education2010 – 2016 Ph.D., University of Bern, Switzerland.

In collaboration with the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne,Germany.Subject: Modeling the Mechanics of Plant Morphogenesis. Interdisciplinary Ph.D.funded by SystemsX.ch at the crosspoint between physics, computer science andbiology.Advisor: Dott. Richard Smith, currently at the John Innes Center, Norwich, UK.– Study of plant morphogenesis and characterization of plant tissue mechani-

cal properties with a physically based approach combined with quantitativematching of experimental observations.

– Development of a FEM software for continuum mechanics simulations basedon C++ and parallelized by means of CUDA especially aimed to model inden-tation (CFM, AFM) simulations in multicellular tissue context.

2006 – 2010 M. Sc. in Physics, University of Insubria, Italy.Subject: Entanglement, chaos and complexity of quantum dynamics.Advisor: Prof. Giuliano Benenti, University of Insubria, Italy.Co-advisor: Prof. Giorgio Mantica, University of Insubria, Italy.

2002 – 2006 B. Sc. in Physics, University of Insubria, Italy.Subject: Non linear effects in the expansion of Bose-Einstein condensates.Advisor: Prof. Alberto Parola, University of Insubria, Italy.

Summer schools attended and Workshops2020 Lorentz virtual workshop: Modeling Shape and Size in Biological Development,

Leiden, Netherland. Teaching assistant.2019 Effective High-Performance Computing and Data Analytics with GPUs, CSCS

Riva San Vitale, Switzerland.2017 Dynamics of Plant Development and Evolution, PSC Symposium, Zürich, Switz-

erland. Poster.2017 Multi-level modelling of morphogenesis, EMBO Practical Course, Norwich,

United Kingdom. Oral Presentation.2016 PUMPS Summer School, Programming and Tuning Massively Parallel Systems,

Barcelona, Spain. Poster2016 7th Summer School on Biomechanics of Soft Tissues: Multiscale Modeling, Si-

mulation and Applications, Graz, Austria. Oral Presentation.2015 International Summer School on HPC Challenges in Computational Sciences,

Toronto, Canada. Oral Presentation.2015 SystemsX.ch Retreat 2015: Better Results Through Diversity, Rigi Kaltbad,

Switzerland.2014 Introduction to Scientific Programming using GPGPU and CUDA, Bologna, Ita-

ly.2012 Ph.D. student retreat organized with HFP consulting, Engelberg, Switzerland.2012 Summer School on Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology, Graz, Au-

stria. Oral Presentation.2012 SystemsX.ch Summer School in Muerren, Switzerland.2011 Workshop on Plant Light Responses, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland.2011 Molecular Plant Science Ph.D. annual retreat in Rolle, Switzerland.2009 SIGRAV Graduate School - VIII Edition - Gravity, where do we stand?2008 SIGRAV Graduate School - VII Edition - The Dark Side of the Universe.

Participation to national and international conferences2020 British Early Career Mathematicians Colloquium (virtual conference), Birming-

ham, UK. Invited keynote speaker2019 International Symposium on Plant Growth and Form, Heidelberg, Germany. Po-

ster2018 9th International Plant Biomechanics Conference, Montreal, Canada. Poster and

Oral presentation

2014 2nd International SystemsX.ch Conference on Systems Biology, Lausanne, Switz-erland.

2013 All SystemsX.ch Day, Bern, Switzerland.2012 European Solid Mechanics Conference, Graz, Austria.2011 1st International SystemsX.ch Conference on Systems Biology, Basel, Switzer-

land.

Honors and Fellowships2018 Forschungskredit fellowship from the University of Zurich. MorphoMechanX, a

platform to model plant tissue bio-mechanics: Final development and a case studyapplication

Teaching2020 Teaching assistant during the Lorentz Workshop: Modeling Shape and Size in

Biological Development, Leiden, Netherland2014 Teaching assistant for Fisica I (basic physics course) at University of Insubria

Presence on Media2019 CSCS Summer School High-Performance Computing and Data Analytics with

GPUs, Interview, youtubeLink2014 SystemsX.ch X-Letter: Interview (The code of life), issue of June.

Language skillsItalian Mother tongue

English Full written and oral proficiency (C1)German Intermediate (B1)

Non-academic Activities2010 Touristic guide in the karstic cave Buco del Piombo, Erba, Italy

2009 – 2010 Development and maintenance of the website for the cultural association CulturaGiovane, Como, Italy

2005 Scientific tour guide at the exhibition Physics around us: how 100 years of physicschanged the world we live in, held in Como, Italy, on the occasion of the WorldYear of Physics

2002 – 2010 Private teacher in mathematics and physics

List of Publications

1. Läubli, N.†, Burri, J.†, Marquard, J., Vogler, H., Mosca, G., Vertti-Quintero,N., Shamsudhin, N., deMello, A., Grossniklaus, U., Nelson, B. 3D MechanicalCharacterization of Single Cells and Small Organisms using a Combinationof Acoustic Manipulation and Force Microscopy. Submitted to Nature Com-munications.

2. Hernandez-Lagana†, E., Mosca†, G., Mendocilla Sato†, Pires, N., Frey, A.,Giraldo-Fonseca, A., Grossniklaus, U., Hamant, O., Godin, C., Boudaoud, A.,Grimanelli, D., Autran, D., Baroux, C. Developmental constraints modulatereproductive fate and plasticity within the Arabidopsis ovule primordium, sub-mitted to eLife, Biorxiv doi: 10.1101/2020.07.30.226670

3. Atzeni, F., Pasakarnis, L., Mosca, G., Smith, R. S., Aegerter, C. M., Brun-ner, D. Mechanochemical modelling of dorsal closure reveals emergent cell be-haviour in tissue morphogenesis, under revision in Molecular Systems Bio-logy, Biorxiv doi: 10.1101/2020.01.20.912725

4. Natonik-Biao†, S.; Borowska-Wykrt†, D., Mosca, G.; Grelowski, M.; Wrza-lik, R., Smith, R., Kwiatkowska, D.Deformation of a cell monolayer due toosmotic treatment: a case study of onion scale epidermis. Botany, 2020. doi:10.1139/cjb-2019-0027

5. Yuchen, L., Cheddadi, I., Mosca, G., Mirabet, V., Dumond, M., Go-din, C., Boudaoud, A. Cellular heterogeneity in pressure and growth emer-ges from tissue topology and geometry. Current Biology, 2020. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2020.02.027

6. Kierzkowski, D.†, Runions, A.†, Vuolo, F., Strauss, S., Jenke, H., Lymbou-ridou, R., Routier-Kierzkowska, A. L., Galinha, C., Mosca, G., Zhang, Z.,Canales, C., Dello Ioio, R., Huijser, P., Smith, R. S., Tsiantis, M. A growth-based framework for development and diversity of leaf shape. Cell, 2019. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2019.05.011

7. Mosca, G., Adibi, M., Strauss, S., Runions, A., Sapala, A., Smith, R. S.Modeling plant tissue growth and cell division. Mathematical Modelling inPlant Biology (Springer International Publishing), 2018. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-99070-5

8. Sapala, A., Runions, A., Routier-Kierzkowska, A. L., Das Gupta, M., Hong, L.,Hofhuis, H., Verger, S., Mosca, G., Li, C. B., Hay, A., Hamant, O., Roeder,A. H. K., Tsiantis, M., Prusinkiewicz, P., Smith, R. S. Why plants make puzzlecells, and how their shape emerges. eLife, 2018; 7:e32794. doi: 10.7554/eLi-fe.32794

9. Mosca, G., Sapala, A., Strauss, S., Smith, R. S. On the micro-indentationof plant cells in a tissue context. Phys. Biol., 2017 Feb 9;14(1):015003. doi:10.1088/1478-3975/aa5698

10. Hofhuis, H.†, Moulton, D.†, Lessinnes, T.†, Routier-Kierzkowska, A. L.†, Bom-phrey, R. J.†, Mosca, G., Reinhardt, H., Sarchet, P., Gan, X., Tsiantis, M.,Ventikos, Y., Walker, S., Goriely, A., Smith, R. and Hay, A.(2016). Mor-phomechanical Innovation Drives Explosive Seed Dispersal. Cell, 2016 Jun30;166(1):222-33. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2016.05.002. † These authors contributedequally to the publication.

11. Weber, A., Braybrook, S., Huflejt, M., Mosca, G., Routier-Kierzkowska, A. L.,Smith, R. S. Measuring the mechanical properties of plant cells by combiningmicro-indentation with osmotic treatments. JXB, 66(11) (2015): 3229-3241.doi: 10.1093/jxb/erv135

12. Bassel, G. W., Stamm, P., Mosca, G., de Reuille, P. B., Gibbs, D. J., Win-ter, R., Janka, A., Holdsworth, M. J. and Smith, R. S. Mechanical cons-traints imposed by 3D cellular geometry and arrangement modulate growthpatterns in the Arabidopsis embryo. PNAS, 111(23) (2014): 8685-8690. doi:10.1073/pnas.1404616111

† these authors contributed equally to the manuscript.