Meet Risa Togo

Risa Togo

I will focus on developing a cell shaping module for spatial control during cell division in synthetic cells.

Hi, my name is Risa Togo. You can call me Lisa! I recently joined EVOLF as a PhD candidate in the labs of Gijsje Koenderink and Marileen Dogterom’s at TU Delft. For my PhD project, I will focus on developing a cell shaping module for spatial control during cell division in synthetic cells. Through regulation of the geometry, the aim is to guide mid-cell positioning of the divisome and ensure accurate DNA segregation for the formation of two equal daughter cells. Gaining a fundamental understanding of how passive and active components interact with the lipid bilayer to drive global shape changes can also provide valuable insights into other cellular processes, like cell migration.

Before this, I did a double Masters in Nanobiology and Biomedical Engineering, also at TU Delft. For my master’s research, I combined computational image analysis and rheology to study the structure and bulk mechanics of collagen networks, which sparked my passion for soft matter biophysics.

In my free time, I enjoy cooking, watching K-dramas, crafting random things, raising plants and doing photography!