The mechanobiology of the fallopian tube: ERC Starting Grant for a project led by research group leader Stephanie Möllmert
The female reproductive tract is an extremely complex organ system. It transports eggs and sperm, protects early embryos, and renews tissue during the menstrual cycle. Since 2025, Dr. Stephanie Möllmert has been investigating the underlying mechanobiological processes as a research group leader at the Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin (MPZPM). Starting in September, she is awarded a 2026 ERC Starting Grant worth 1.5 million euros for her project “REPROMECH,” continuing her pioneering work at the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research.
Rhythmic muscle contractions move the contents of the fallopian tube and play a key role in the transport of eggs and early-stage embryos. However, there is currently little quantitative understanding of how muscle activity, tissue mechanical properties, and the physical properties of the fluid in the fallopian tube interact. Until now, the female reproductive tract has been studied primarily from hormonal, molecular and genetic perspectives. Stephanie Möllmert aims to complement this perspective with insights from the physical and mechanical aspects.
Through the “REPROMECH” project, Stephanie Möllmert is specifically investigating the mechanobiology of the fallopian tube. Her research focuses on how the tube's mechanical properties change over space and time, and how these physical states influence transport and, consequently, early embryonic development. “The goal is to uncover the as-yet poorly understood role of tissue mechanics in the earliest phases of reproduction,” says Stephanie Möllmert. “I am driven by the question of how fundamental biophysical insights can be translated into concrete diagnostic and therapeutic approaches – with the aim of improving women’s reproductive and overall health.” The methods used include Brillouin microscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and video microscopy.
Stephanie Möllmert is awarded an ERC Starting Grant of 1.5 million euros over five years for the project. With this funding, the European Research Council supports promising early-career researchers during a pivotal phase of their careers. In the past year, Stephanie Möllmert advanced research in this field with her own group, “Reproductive Mechanobiology,” at MPZPM. She will now continue her work at the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research.
About the ERC
Through its Starting Grant program, the European Research Council (ERC) supports researchers who completed their doctoral degrees less than ten years ago and are working on promising research approaches. In 2026, the ERC allocated a total of 705 million euros for Starting Grants; 421 researchers are benefiting from this funding. The European Union established the European Research Council in 2007 to support research in Europe.
