Cellular Biophysics and Biomechanics

We seek to understand the molecular origin of cell mechanosensing – the ability of cells to sense and respond to the mechanical properties of their environment. Our lab study the role of mechanical interaction between neuronal cells, cardiac cells and their environment in health and disease. One of the major question in the lab is the role of mechanical communication mediated by deformations in soft biomaterials in synchronized cell behavior and the ability to manipulate it for regenerative medicine applications. The study of cell mechanosensing and mechanical communication requires inter-displinary effort and as a result, the work in the lab ranges from high resolution optical microscopy to theoretical modeling and design of protein-engineered biomaterials.