“Nature doesn’t draw clear lines between biology, chemistry, physics and maths, and neither should we”, Professor Satyajit Mayor on how he will nurture a new generation of scientists at The University of Warwick

Professor Satyajit Mayor has made groundbreaking contributions to cell biology. Renowned for his research in plant sciences, he is an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences (USA), the World Academy of Sciences (Trieste), the National Academy of Science (Bengaluru), and the Indian National Science Academy (New Delhi), and an Elected Fellow of EMBO. He is the winner of many national and international prestigious prizes, and now brings his expertise to The University of Warwick as the Leverhulme International Professor at the Centre for Mechanochemical Cell Biology. Backed by a £5 million Leverhulme Trust grant, he is spearheading an ambitious research programme that explores the intricate organisation of cell membranes at the nanometer scale and its broader implications for tissue biology. With a career spanning globally respected institutions - from IIT Bombay and The Rockefeller University, to Columbia and the National Centre for Biological Sciences in India - Professor Mayor has combined deep scientific inquiry with a passion for mentoring emerging talent. In this insightful conversation, he shares insights into his current research, the future of cell biology, and his advice for the students at the University.

What drew you to Warwick, and how does it compare to other institutions you've worked with?
When Warwick invited me to apply for the Leverhulme International Professorship, it felt like a natural fit and an opportunity to bring a new dimension to the work I had been doing in Bengaluru. The Centre for Mechanochemical Cell Biology was renowned in my field and home to several researchers I already knew and respected, so this felt like an exciting opportunity.
Beyond the Leverhulme opportunity, I was impressed by Warwick’s broader academic strength in fields such as mathematics, physics, economics, business, and history. Not only this, but its inclusive ethos and commitment to accessible education are qualities that set it apart from many other institutions I've worked with. As Warwick marks its 60th anniversary this year, it’s a great time to push the boundaries of research and fulfil our mission of making a better world together.

How are you planning to nurture emerging scientific talent, and how would you reinforce Warwick's position as a hub for world-class research and innovation?
Through the Leverhulme International Professorship, I’ve had the opportunity to launch a focused research initiative at Warwick, recruiting three young faculty members whose work aligns with this vision. We have the scope of recruiting one more—we call ourselves the Cellular Interface Cluster!

Our programme explores how cells sense and respond to their environment through nurturing a new generation of scientists who are passionate about uncovering this unique, high-impact process. We’re not only advancing discovery, but also reinforcing the University as a hub for world-class research and innovation.

How has your role evolved as a professor and researcher, and what role does a university play in successful research?
While the facilities that we had in India were exceptional, coming to Warwick and having the opportunity to engage with students from a wide variety of backgrounds is a refreshing aspect to my role. It’s helped me to evolve as a professor, stepping into an even more collaborative, team-building position.

Being part of a learning environment where you have access to researchers across different disciplines is truly valuable, and something I’m pleased to have access to at Warwick. Engaging with these different perspectives helps to enrich my work at Warwick by opening up different ways of thinking, which, in my view, is necessary for addressing complex biological questions.
What impact do you hope your work will have on Warwick and the broader scientific community?
The work that I’m a part of at The Centre for Mechanochemical Cell Biology aims to break new ground in understanding how a cell functions, particularly in terms of how the cells sense and respond to their surroundings. While this is fundamental science, the questions we’re exploring have broad implications from biomedical research to understanding how environmental changes affect living systems.

Given the scale of environmental change we are facing, I believe a focus on the cellular interface, the point where cells interact with their surroundings, will contribute to major advancements in cell biology. As a university, Warwick is committed to making a better world together through our research, education, and innovation, and this project is just one way we are doing this.

How do you see your research contributing to advancements in cell biology in the coming years?
I see our research shifting the lens of cell biology from a rather reductionist gene-centric view to a more integrated understanding of how cells function within their environments.

Traditionally, the focus has been on the role of genes and their products, and how genetic perturbations alter cellular processes. We’re exploring how the material at the cell’s interface is assembled and self-organised. These processes often operate beyond genetic control, revealing a level of cellular complexity that's been underexplored. The cell’s interface is very accessible for exploring these kinds of epigenetic questions.

This research will help us understand how environmental changes like rapid climate shifts impact cellular function, which is relevant in a time of tackling change, both in terms of climate change and our own ecosystems.

What advice would you give to young researchers looking to work in this field at a university like Warwick?
What stands out most for young researchers at Warwick is that it is a place that is so open to interdisciplinary interactions. Collaboration and breaking down academic silos aren’t just encouraged, they’re seen as a goal. For young people, this idea is especially relevant as modern knowledge isn't confined to one field—it's about connecting ideas and thinking across disciplines while developing deep expertise in a specific area.

In life sciences, whether biology, medicine, or beyond, this cross-disciplinary approach is essential. Nature doesn’t draw clear lines between biology, chemistry, physics, and maths, and neither should we.

Therefore, for young researchers eager to ask big, complex questions, it’s important to be in a place where different fields naturally intersect. At Warwick, especially in the Life Sciences sector, there’s a strong culture of collaboration which makes it easier to connect ideas across traditional boundaries, which is increasingly vital for understanding how biological systems work.

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