Journal Publications and Conference Presentations

JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS

1. 1. 1. Lauren Godfrey and Bekele J. Gurmessa, Synergistic effects of alpha-actinin/neutravidin on the mechanics of F-actin networks (in prep).

      2. Bernard I. Nkusi, Morgan Thomas, and Bekele J. Gurmessa, Motor-driven modulation of actin network mechanics across linear and nonlinear regimes (Under Review: bioRxiv: https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.06.15.659806 ).

      3. Julie Pinchiaroli, Renita Saldanha, Alison E Patteson, Rae M. Robertson-Anderson, and Bekele J. Gurmessa, Scale-dependent interactions enable emergent microrheological stress response of actin-vimentin composites  (Soft Matter, 2024, 20, 9007 - 9021).

      4. Michael E. Dwyer, Rae M. Anderson, Bekele J. Gurmessa, Nonlinear microscale mechanics of actin networks governed by coupling of filament crosslinking and stabilization (Polymers 2022, 14, 4980).

      5. Bekele J. Gurmessa, Michael J. Rust, Jennifer L. Ross, Moumita Das, and Rae M. Robertson-Anderson. Salt-mediated stiffening, destruction, and resculpting of actomyosin networks. Frontiers in Physics: 667 (2021).

      6. Bekele J. Gurmessa, Michael J. Rust, Jennifer L. Ross, Moumita Das, and Rae M. Robertson-Anderson. Counterion cross-bridges enable robust multi-scale elasticity in actin networks.  Phys. Rev. Research. 1, 013016 (2019).

      7. Bekele Gurmessa, Nicholas Bittenb, Dan T. Nguyen, Jennifer L. Ross, Omar A. Saleh, Moumita Dasb, and Rae M.Robertson-Anderson, Triggered Disassembly and Reassembly of Actin Networks Induce Rigidity Phase Transitions. Soft matter 15.6 (2019): 1335-1344 . 

      8. This paper is featured in the 2019 Emerging Investigators Issue.

      9. Shea Ricketts, Bekele J. Gurmessa, and  Rae M. Robertson-Anderson. Microscale Mechanics of Plug-and-Play In Vitro Cytoskeleton Networks (Book Chapter).  DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.84401 (2019).

      10. Robert Fitzpatrick, Davide Michieletto, Cole Hauer, Carl Kyrillos, Bekele J. Gurmessa, Rae M. Robertson- Anderson. Synergistic interactions between DNA and actin trigger emergent viscoelastic behavior, Physical review letters 121.25 (2018): 257801.

      11. Bekele Gurmessa, Shea Ricketts, Rae M. Robertson-Anderson: Nonlinear Actin Deformations Lead to Network Stiffening, Yielding, and Nonuniform Stress Propagation. Biophysical Journal 113.7 (2017): 1540-155. This paper is highlighted on the BPJ webpage.

      12. Bekele Gurmessa and Croll A. B. Localization in an Idealized Heterogeneous Elastic polymer Sheet, Soft Matter, 2017,13, 1764-1772  with a cover page article.​

      13. Bekele Gurmessa, Robert Fitzpatrick, and Rae M. Robertson-Anderson, Entanglement density tunes microscale nonlinear response of entangled actin, Macromolecules 49, 3948-3955(2016) 

      14. Bekele Gurmessa and Croll A. B. Influence of Thin Film Confinement on Surface Plasticity in Polystyrene and Poly(2-vinylpyridine) Homopolymer and Block Copolymer Films: Macromolecules, 2015, 48(16), pp 5670–5676.​

      15. Bekele Gurmessa and Croll, A. B. Onset of Plasticity in Thin Polystyrene Films, Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 074301(2013).

      16. Antoinette Tordesillas, David Carey, Andrew B. Croll, Jingyu Shi, Bekele Gurmessa Micromechanics of elastic buckling of a colloidal polymer layer on a soft substrate: experiment and theory, Granular Matter, Granular Matter, 10(2013).

      17. Andrew B. Croll, Antoinette Tordesillas, David Carey, Bekele Gurmessa, Experimental evidence, and structural mechanics analysis of force chain buckling at the microscale in a 2D polymeric granular layer, AIIP Conference Proceedings,1542 (2013)​ 

   CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS (presenter indicated by *)​

A. TALKS

1. 1. 1. Bekele Gurmessa, (2024) Impact of permanent and transient crosslinkers on the mechanics of actin networks, Biophysical Society, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Feb 2024 

      2. J Pinchiaroli, R R Carrol, A Patteson, Bekele Gurmessa, (2023) Active-microrheology of Actin-Intermediate Filaments Composite Networks, American Physical Society, March Meeting, Las Vegas, USA, on Marc, 2023

      3. Bekele Gurmessa, (2022) Active-microrheology of Actin-Intermediate Filaments Composite Networks, APS Mid-Atlantic session annual meeting held at Pennsylvania State University, on Dec 03, 2022

      4. Michael Dwyer*, Bekele Gurmessa, (2022) Microscale Mechanics and Structural Organization of Cross-linked Actin Networks, American Physical Society March Meeting, Chicago, USA (virtual)

      5. Bekele Gurmesaa gave an invited talk on the Microscale Mechanics of Actin-Intermediate Filaments Composite Networks at the Frontiers of soft matter and Macromolecular networks symposium (USD, San Diego, CA) on Sept. 15, 2022

      6. Bekele Gurmessa*, (2022) Optical tweezers microrheology of transiently crosslinked actin networks, American Physical Society March Meeting, Chicago, USA (virtual)

      7. Bekele Gurmessa*, (2021) Microscale Mechanics of Cytoskeletal Networks, Bucknell University, Department of Chemistry (Seminar talk).

      8. Bekele Gurmessa*, (2020) Microscale Mechanics of Cytoskeletal Networks, Bucknell University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Lewisburg, USA (Snap Talk)

      9.  Bekele Gurmessa*, (2019) The Mechanics and Molecular Deformations of Actin Networks, Bucknell University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Lewisburg, USA (invited talk)

      10. Bekele Gurmessa*, Rae Anderson (2019) Microscale Mechanics of triggered bundling and unbundling of actin networks, American Physical Society March Meeting, Boston, USA

      11. Bekele Gurmessa*, Rae Anderson(2018) Time-Dependent Microscale Mechanics of Actomyosin Networks During Triggered Activity, American Physical Society March Meeting, Los Angeles, USA

      12. Bekele Gurmessa*  (2018) Microscale Stress Response and Molecular Deformations in Actin Networks, Calpoly Pomona, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Pomona, USA (invited talk)

      13. Bekele Gurmessa, Jennifer Ross,  Dan Nguyen, Omar Saleh, Rae M. R. Anderson* (2017) Untangling the Dynamics of Entangled Biopolymers: Southern California Soft Matter Symposium, September 2017, USD, San Diego, USA      

      14. Bekele Gurmessa*, Jennifer Ross,  Dan Nguyen, Omar Saleh, Rae M. R. Anderson (2017) Microscale Mechanics of Actin      Networks During Dynamic Assembly and Disassembly: American Physical Society March Meeting, New Orleans, USA         

      15. Bekele Gurmessa*, Rae M. Robertson-Anderson (2016) The Effect of Crosslinking on the Microscale Stress Response and Molecular Deformations in Actin Networks: American Physical Society March Meeting, Baltimore, USA.​

      16.  Bekele Gurmessa*, Croll, A.B. (2015)  Localization in an Idealized Elastic Sheet: American Physical Society March Meeting, Texas, USA.

      17. Bekele Gurmessa*, Croll, A.B. (2014)  Effect of Microstructural Order on Plasticity in Thin PS-P2VP Films: American Physical Society March Meeting, Denver, USA.

      18. Croll, A.B.*, Bekele Gurmessa* (2014) The Influence of Order and Disorder on Buckling 2D granular layers: American Physical Society, March Meeting, Denver, USA.

      19. Bekele Gurmessa*, Croll, A.B. (2013) Onset of plasticity in thin polymer Films: American Physical Society March Meeting, Baltimore, USA.

      20. Croll A, B.*, Bekele J. Gurmessa*, David Carey, Antoinette Tordesillas (2013) Experiments with a particle Film: Evidence for force chain buckling: American Physical Society  March Meeting, Baltimore, USA.

      21. Croll, A.B.*, Bekele Gurmessa* (2012) Buckling in a Particle Film: American Physical Society, March Meeting, Boston, USA.

      22.  Bekele Gurmessa*, Mulugeta Bekele (2009) Stochastic Resonance in a Bistable potential Due to Thermally Induced Noise: North Dakota State University, Dept of Physics

 B. POSTERS

1. Raphael Streitberger*, Bekele Gurmessa, (2025) Linear Microscale mechanics of Actin Networks with Cooperative crosslinking, Susquehanna Valley Undergraduate Research Symposium, Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, July 22, 2025.

2. Bekele Gurmessa, (2024) Impact of permanent and transient crosslinkers on the mechanics of actin networks, Biophysical Society, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Feb 2024. 

3. Michaela Lester*, Bekele Gurmessa, (2024) Probing the microscale mechanics of cytoskeletal composite networks, Susquehanna Valley Undergraduate Research Symposium, July 24, 2024, Bucknell University.

4. Bernard Iringire Nkusi *, Bekele Gurmessa, (2024) Investigating microscale mechanics of actomyosin networks, Susquehanna Valley Undergraduate Research Symposium, July 24, 2024, Bucknell University.

5. Alex Zhou*, Bekele Gurmessa, (2023) Microrheology of Vimentin-Microtubule Composite networks, Susquehanna Valley Undergraduate Research Symposium, July 26, 2023, Bucknell University.

6. Morgan Thomas*, Bekele Gurmessa, (2023) Myosin regulates elasticity and structural dynamics of actin networks, Susquehanna Valley Undergraduate Research Symposium, July 26, 2023, Bucknell University.

7. Julie Pinchiaroli*, Bekele Gurmessa, (2022) Microscale Mechanics of Actin-intermediate filaments composite networks, Susquehanna Valley Undergraduate Research Symposium, July 26, 2022, Danville.

8. Mike Dwyer* and Bekele Gurmessa (2021) Crosslinker density tunes the mechanics and structural organization of actin, Susquehanna Valley Undergraduate Research Symposium, July 28, 2021, virtual symposium.   

9.  Bekele Gurmessa* and Rae M. Robertson-Anderson (2018) How does varying salt concentration affect the mechanics of actin networks? Southern California Soft Matter Symposium, September 2018, USD, San Diego, USA.      

10. Bekele Gurmessa*, Robert Fitzpatrick*, and Rae M. Robertson-Anderson (2016) Active microrheology of entangled blends of DNA and Actin link polymer flexibility to induced molecular deformations and stress propagation, American Physical Society March Meeting, Baltimore, USA.​

11. Bekele Gurmessa*, Croll, A.B. (2014) Quantifying Yield Strain in Nanoscale Block Copolymer Thin Films Via Buckling Instability, ND-EPSCOR,  USA.

12. Bekele Gurmessa*, Andrew Croll (2014) Quantifying the Yield Strain of Nanoscale Block Copolymer Thin Films Via Buckling Instability: North Dakota State University Graduate Students Research and Arts Forum, Fargo, USA.

13. Bekele Gurmessa*, Croll, A.B.* (2012) Bending leads to stress storage in thin polymer Films: International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry World Polymer Congress, Blacksburg, USA.

14. Bekele Gurmessa*, Croll, A.B. (2012) Local Stress in thin polymer Films: American Physical Society, March Meeting, Boston, USA.

15. Bekele Gurmessa*, Croll. A.B. (2011) Stress-Induced Surface Wrinkling of Diblock Copolymer: Materials and Nanotechnology Forum, North Dakota State University, USA.

Awards

• Swanson Fellowship, Bucknell University, 2019

• Doctoral dissertation fellowship award, ND EPSCOR,  2014        

• Graduate Student Travel Grant Award, 2014

• Graduate Student Travel Grant Award, 2013