Critical experiments during the last decade show a fundamental link between the micro and macro mechanical environment (i.e., intracellular forces, local shear, gravitational force) and a variety of cell functionalities, their lineage, and phenotype. These findings pose the grand challenge: what is the underlying molecular mechanism that the cells employ to transduce mechanical signals to biochemical pathways?

In response to this challenge the CMMB IGERT has launched an inter-disciplinary research effort with national and international collaborators. Conducted at molecular to inter-cellular scales, this research involves biological experiments, imaging, large scale computations, and development of new engineering methodologies to address the challenge in a quantitative way previously not available to the research community.

IGERT Trainee Research Highlights