Jose J. Muñoz

With a background in non-linear dynamics, contact mechanics, and numerical methods, I currently develop computational models for cell and tissue mechanical analysis. I am interested in the control and regulation of wound healing, cancer progression, tissue morphogenesis and general problems in the mechanics of embryo development, with an emphasis in the solution of inverse problems for inferring non-observable data.

Contact Info

j.munoz@upc.edu

Dept. Mathematics
Office A9.40
Av. Eduard Maristany, 16
08019 Barcelona, Spain

Member of Centre Internacional de Mètodes Numèrics en Enginyeria (CIMNE).

Director of Institut de Matemàtiques de la UPC – BarcelonaTech (IMTech).

ResearcherID: B-2475-2009

Google Scholar

ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-0083-3673

Scopus

Futur (UPC database)

Education

2004: PhD thesis at Imperial College London, Dept. Aeronautics.

1997: Degree and Master at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (Mechanical Eng.) and École Centrale Paris (Civil Eng.)

Research Interests

Vertex and finite element methods in mechanobiology, cell rheology, non-linear dynamics, inverse and force inference methods, cell and tissue oscillatory stability, optimal control.

Snapshots and animations

Optimal Control of contractile elastic bodies and analysis of locomotion under anisotropic adhesion. See [44], [41], [38] below.

Inverse mechanical analysis of active elastic cellular systems, and stability of delay rest-length based cell rheology. See [39], [37], [29], [25], and [30] below.

Two- and three-dimensional vertex models. See [42], [35], [34] [28] below.

Team

Post-doctoral researcher

Adnan Anwar

PhD students

Muhammad Asif	Shafaq Zahra
Ahmad K Khan	Adrià Villacrosa. Joint supervision, main supervisor: Vito Conte (TU/e)

Master students

Alba Tacoronte

Additional Information

Teaching: Numerical Methods, Computational Mechanics, Differential Equations.

Publications. Articles. (list by years can be obtained through Lacan Menu )

[47] A Bijalwan, S Schneider, P Betsch and J.J. Muñoz. Monolithic and staggered solution strategies for constrained mechanical systems in optimal control problems. Int. J. Num. Meth. Eng. Vol 126 (6): e70026. 2025.PDF
[46] C Olivesi and JJ Muñoz. Inverse analysis for the computation of growth and boundary conditions in elastic bodies. Comp. Mechanics, 75(3), 975-988, 2024.
[45] A Bijalwan and JJ Muñoz. Adjoint-based optimal control of contractile elastic bodies. Application to limbless locomotion on frictional substrates. Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering, Vol. 420, 116697, 2024.
[44] C Da Silva, M Peces, A. Jaques, J.J. Muñoz, J. Dosta, S. Astals. Fractional calculus as a generalized kinetic model for biochemical methane potential tests.
Bioresource Technology, Vol. 396, 130412, 2024.
[43] S Ben Tahar, JJ Muñoz, SJ Shefelbine, E Comellas. Turing pattern prediction in three-dimensional domains: the role of initial conditions and growth. Biorxiv, 2023.
[42] AK Khan, G. Muñoz-Castro and JJ Muñoz. Single and two-cells shape analysis from energy functionals for three-dimensional vertex models. International Journal for Numerical Methods in Biomedical Engineering, Vol. 39, 2023.
[41] A Bijalwan and JJ Muñoz. A control Hamiltonian preserving discretisation for optimal control. Multibody System Dynamics, Vol. 59, pp. 19-43, 2023.
[40] E Comellas, JE Farkas, G Kleinberg, K Lloyd, T Mueller, TJ Duerr, JJ Muñoz, JR Monaghan, SJ Shefelbine. Local mechanical stimuli shape tissue growth in vertebrate joint morphogenesis. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, Vol. 289, Article number: 20220621, 2022.
[39] K Karkali, P Tiwari, A Singh, S Tlili, I Jorba, D Navajas, JJ Muñoz, TE Saunders and E Martin-Blanco. Condensation of the Drosophila Nerve Cord is Oscillatory and depends on Coordinated Mechanical Interactions. Developmental Cell, Vol. 57, pp. 867-882, 2022.
[38] JJ Muñoz, L Condamin and D Doste. On the net displacement of contact surface centroid in contractile bodies. Mechanics Research Communications , Vol. 119, pp. 1-5, 2022.
[37] MA Dawi, JJ Muñoz. Stability bounds of a delay visco-elastic rheological model with substrate friction. Journal of Mathematical Biology , Vol. 83, pp. 1-19, 2021.
[36] A Nyga, JJ Muñoz, S Dercksen, G Fornabaio, M Uroz, X Trepat, B Baum, H Matthews, V Conte. Oncogenic RAS instructs morphological transformation of human epithelia via differential tissue mechanics. Science Advances , Vol. 7, Article number: 42, 2021.
[35] P Mosaffa, RJ Tetley, A Rodríguez-Ferran, Y Mao, JJ Muñoz. Junctional and cytoplasmic contributions in wound healing. Journal of the Royal Society Interface, 17:20200264, 2020.
[34] F Ioannou, MA Dawi, RJ Tetley, Y Mao, JJ Muñoz. “Development of a new 3D hybrid model for epithelia morphogenesis”. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology. 10: 1:11, 2020.
[33] M Tozluoglu, M Duda, NJ Kirkland, R Barrientos, JJ Burden, JJ Muñoz, Y Mao. “Planar differential growth rates initiate precise fold positions in complex epithelia”. Dev. Cell. 51(3): 299-312, 2019.
[32] N Khalilgharibi, J Fouchard, N Asadipour, R Barrientos, M Duda, A Bonfanti, A Yonis, A Harris, P Mosaffa, Y Fujita, A Kabla, Y Mao, B Baum, JJ Muñoz, M Miodownik, G Charras. “Stress relaxation in epithelial monolayers is controlled by the actomyosin cortex”. Nature Physics, 15: 839–847, 2019.
[31] L Roldán, JJ Muñoz, P Sáez. “Computational modeling of epithelial wound healing: Short and long term chemo-mechanical mechanisms”. Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering. 350:28-56, 2019.
[30] JJ Muñoz, M. Dingle, M Wenzel. “Mechanical oscillations in biological tissues as a result of delayed rest-length changes”. Physical Review E, 98, 052409, 2018.
[29] JJ Muñoz, D Amat, V Conte. “Computation of forces from deformed visco-elastic biological tissues”. Inverse Problems, 34(4), 044001, 2018. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6420/aaac5b
[28] P Mosaffa, A Rodríguez-Ferran and JJ Muñoz. “Hybrid cell-centred/vertex model for multicellular systems with equilibrium-preserving remodelling”. International for Journal Numerical Methods for Biomedical Engineering. . 34(3):1-24, e2928, 2018.
[27] R Sunyer, V Conte, J Escribano, A Elosegui-Artola, A Labernadie, L Valon, D Navajas, JM García-Aznar, JJ Muñoz, P Roca-Cusachs and X Trepat. “Collective cell durotaxis emerges from long-range intercellular force transmission”. Science. 353(6304): 1157 – 1161, 2016.
[26] N Asadipour, X Trepat and JJ Muñoz. “Porous-based rheological model for tissue fluidisation”. Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, 96:,535-549, 2016.
[25] JJ Muñoz. “Non-regularised Inverse Finite Element Analysis for 3D Traction Force Microscopy”. Journal of Numerical Analysis and Modeling. 13 (5): 763-781, 2016. PDF
[24] JJ Muñoz and N Rabiei. “AAR-based decomposition method for lower bound limit analysis”. ICE –
Engineering and Computational Mechanics, 168(4): 169–177, 2015.
[23] P Mosaffa, N Asadipour, D Millán, A Rodríguez-Ferran and JJ Muñoz. “Cell-centred model for the simulation of curved cellular monolayers”. Computational Particle Mechanics, 2(4): 359-370, 2015.
[22] N Rabiei and JJ Muñoz. “AAR-based decomposition algorithm for non-linear convex optimisation”. Computational Optimization and Applications, 62(3): 761-786, 2015.
[21] E Bazellières, V Conte, A Elosegui-Artola, X Serra-Picamal, M Bintanel-Morcillo, P Roca-Cusachs, JJ Muñoz, M Sales-Pardo, R Guimerà, and X Trepat. “Control of cell-cell forces and collective cell dynamics by the intercellular adhesome”, Nature Cell Biology, 17:409-420, 2015
[20] X Serra-Picamal, V Conte, R Sunyer, JJ Muñoz and X Trepat. “Mapping forces and kinematics during collective cell migration”, Methods in Cell Biology, Vol 125: 309-330, 2015
[19] A Brugués, E Anon, V Conte, JH Veldhuis, M Gupta, M, J Colombelli, JJ Muñoz, GW Brodland, B Ladoux and X Trepat. “Forces driving epithelial wound healing”, Nature Physics 10:683-690, 2014.
[18] JJ Muñoz and S Albo. “Physiology-based model of cell viscoelasticity ”. Physical Review E , 88(1): 012708, 2013.
[17] JJ Muñoz, A Lyamin and A Huerta. “Stability of anchored sheet wall in cohesive-frictional soils by FE limit analysis ”. International Journal for Numerical and Analytical Methods in Geomechanics 37 (9): 1213-1230, 2013.
[16] JJ Muñoz, V Conte, N Asadipour and M Miodownik. “A truss element for modelling reversible softening in living tissues ”. Mechanics Research Communications, 49: 44-49, 2013.
[15] JL Curiel Sosa, S. Phaneendra and JJ Muñoz. “Modelling of mixed damage on fibre-reinforced composite laminates subjected to low velocity impact ”. International Journal of Damage Mechanics . 22 (3): 356-374, 2013.
[14] R Allena, JJ Muñoz and D. Aubry. “Diffusion-reaction model for Drosophila embryo development ”. Comp. Meth. Biomech. Biomed. Engin., 16(3): 235-248, 2013. Preprint. 16 (3): 235-248, 2013.
[13] V Conte, F Ulrich, B Baum, JJ Muñoz, J Veldhuis, W Brodland and M Miodownik. “A biomechanical analysis of ventral furrow formation in the Drosophila melanogaster embryo ”. PLOS One 7(4):1-17, 2012.
[12] JJ Muñoz, A Huerta, J Bonet and J Peraire. “A note on upper bound formulations in limit analysis ”. International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering , 91 (8): 896-908, 2012.
[11] JJ Muñoz, V Conte, and M Miodownik “Stress dependent morphogenesis: continuum mechanics and truss systems ”. Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology, 1(2): 188 – 198, 2010.
[10] V Conte, JJ Muñoz, B Baum and M Miodownik “Robust mechanisms of ventral furrow invagination require the combination of cellular shape changes ”. Physical Biology, 6: 1-12, 2009.
[9] JJ Muñoz, J Bonet, A Huerta and J Peraire. “Upper and lower bounds in limit analysis: adaptive meshing strategies and discontinuous loading ”. International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering, 77:471-501, 2009.
[8] V Conte, JJ Muñoz, M Miodownik. “A 3D finite element model of ventral furrow invagination in the Drosophila melanogaster embryo ”. Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials , 2:188-198, 2008.
[7] JJ Muñoz. “Modelling unilateral frictionless contact using the null-space method and cubic B-Spline interpolation”. Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering 197:979-993, 2008.
[6] JJ Muñoz. “On the modelling of incompressibility in linear and non-linear elasticity with the master-slave approach”. International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering , 74:269-293, 2008.
[5] JJ Muñoz, K Barrett and M Miodownik. “ A deformation gradient decomposition method for the analysis of the mechanics of morphogenesis”. Journal of Biomechanics, 40:1372-1380, 2007.
[4] JJ Muñoz and G Jelenic. “Sliding joints in 3D beams: Conserving algorithms using the master-slave approach”.Multibody System Dynamics,16: 237-261, 2006.
[3] JJ Muñoz, U Galvanetto and P Robinson. “On the Modelling of Fatigue delaminating with interface elements”. International Journal of Fatigue, 28:1136-1146, 2006.
[2] JJ Muñoz , G Jelenic. “Sliding contact conditions using the master-slave approach with application on geometrically non-linear beams”. Journal of Solids and Structures, 41:6963-6992, 2004.
[1] JJ Muñoz , G Jelenic and M.A. Crisfield. “Master-slave approach for the design of joints with dependent degrees of freedom in flexible mechanisms”. Communications in Numerical Methods for Engineering. 19:689-702, 2003.

Publications. Book chapters.

A Bijalwan, JJ Muñoz. “On the Numerical Stability of Discretised Optimal Control Problems”. Optimal Design and Control of Multibody Systems. Eds: Karin Nachbagauer, Alexander Held. IUTAM Bookseries, Vol 42, 2024.
Borja, C., Moral, E., Muñoz, J.: Effects of time delays and viscoelastic parameters in oscillatory response cell monolayers. Book title: Viscoelasticity and Collective Cell Migration: An interdisciplinary
perspective across levels of organization. I. Pajic-Lijakovic and E.H. Barriga (Eds). Elsevier , 2020.
J. J. Muñoz, J. Hambleton and S. W. Sloan (2017). “R-adaptivity in limit analysis”. Book title: Advances in direct methods for materials and structures. Barrera et al. (Eds). Springer , 2017.
J J Muñoz, N Rabiei, A Lyamin and A Huerta (2013). “Computation of bounds for anchor problems in limit analysis and decomposition techniques”. Book title: Direct Methods for Limit States in Structures and Materials. Spiliopoulos, Konstantinos; Weichert, Dieter (Eds). Springer , 2013.
J J Muñoz, V Conte and M Miodownik (2010). “Stress Dependent Morphogenesis Continuum Mechanics and System of Trusses”. Book title: Continuum Mechanics. Andrus Koppel and Jaak Oja (Eds). Nova Publishers, 2010.
G Jelenic, J J Muñoz. “Conserving time-integration schemes for flexible mechanisms with sliding joints”. Book title: Multibody Dynamics. Computational Methods and Applications. JC García Orden, JM Goicolea and J Cuadrado (Eds). Series: Comp. Meth. Appl. Sci. (Springer Verlag), 2007.

Former PhD/Master Students:

Ashutosh Bijalwan (PhD)
Soha Ben Tahar (MSc)
Cécilia Olivesi (MSc)
Niki Kemou (MSc)
Payman Mosaffa (PhD)
Nina Asadipour (PhD)
Nima Rabiei (PhD)