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My laboratory seeks to understand how
cells interact with their environment, and to use this knowledge to
control cell function. In particular, we are studying the cooperation
between adhesive, mechanical and biochemical signaling in the
regulation of angiogenesis and stem cell biology. To probe these
questions in novel ways, our laboratory has developed a repertoire of
unique micro- and nanofabrication tools to control and
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measure the adhesive and mechanical
environment of cells. Using these tools in combination with traditional
molecular approaches, we are investigating numerous regulatory
interactions between mechanical forces and biochemical signaling, and
between integrin-, cadherin-, and growth factor-mediated signaling. Our
research program thus focuses on both the integration of novel devices,
manipulation strategies, and materials with modern molecular tools, as
well as the pursuit of a deeper understanding of the regulation of stem
cells and endothelial cells.
At this interface between technology, cell biology, and medicine, our
mission is to provide new tools for biomedicine, to gain new insights
into the control of cell function, to train multi-disciplinary
scientists undeterred by disciplinary boundaries, and to demonstrate
the boundless opportunities for impacting the future of research and
education.
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We have several research programs that
specifically address:
1) developing novel microfabrication and miniaturization tools for
biological and medical research applications,
2) understanding the mechanisms of tissue vascularization,
3) the regulation of stem cell lineage commitment and differentiation,
and
4) the role mechanical forces in cell function.
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