Fabrication of micro- and nano-patterned substrates to manipulate cell adhesion

Mechanotransduction through Cell Adhesion Receptors: Forces are at work at all length scales: from the forces required to close large wounds, to the forces that break individual receptor-ligand bonds, to the molecular rearrangement force generated by protein phosphorylation.  My research group applies forces and precisely manipulates the mechanical properties, surface chemistry, and arrangement of immobilized ligands in the local microenvironment to investigate the cooperation of mechanical and chemical signals in cell fate regulation.  Current research projects involve quantifying and modeling the mechanics of integrin receptor-mediated cell adhesion and the structure-property relationships of macromolecular adhesive assemblies.  These advances will help to explain the biophysics of mechanotransduction, and improve our understanding of how mechanical forces influence the organization, growth, maturation, and function of living tissues.