My lab is dedicated to understanding how cell adhesion and migration is regulated by the physical behaviors and structure of the actin cytoskeleton, focal adhesions and cell-cell adhesions and how the physical behaviors of complex cytoskeletal machines emerge from their molecular constituents. We employ approaches from condensed matter physics, cell biology and biochemistry to study the physical properties of the actin cytoskeleton and focal adhesions within live cells and in reconstituted systems of purified proteins.
Scripps Research Institute
La Jolla, CA
- Cell Biology
2007
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA
PhD - Physics
2004
Brown University
Providence, RI
BS - Physics & Math
1998
Motor crosslinking augments elasticity in active nematics.
Motor crosslinking augments elasticity in active nematics. Soft Matter. 2024 Mar 13; 20(11):2480-2490.
PMID: 38385209
Highly flexible PEG-LifeAct constructs act as tunable biomimetic actin crosslinkers.
Highly flexible PEG-LifeAct constructs act as tunable biomimetic actin crosslinkers. Soft Matter. 2024 Jan 31; 20(5):971-977.
PMID: 38190228
Machine learning interpretable models of cell mechanics from protein images.
Machine learning interpretable models of cell mechanics from protein images. Cell. 2024 01 18; 187(2):481-494.e24.
PMID: 38194965
Limiting pool and actin architecture controls myosin cluster sizes in adherent cells.
Limiting pool and actin architecture controls myosin cluster sizes in adherent cells. Biophys J. 2024 Jan 16; 123(2):157-171.
PMID: 38062704
Reconstitution of the transition from a lamellipodia- to filopodia-like actin network with purified proteins.
Reconstitution of the transition from a lamellipodia- to filopodia-like actin network with purified proteins. Eur J Cell Biol. 2023 Dec; 102(4):151367.
PMID: 37890285
Measuring response functions of active materials from data.
Measuring response functions of active materials from data. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2023 10 17; 120(42):e2305283120.
PMID: 37819979
Motor crosslinking augments elasticity in active nematics.
Motor crosslinking augments elasticity in active nematics. ArXiv. 2023 Aug 31.
PMID: 37693184
Cracked actin filaments as mechanosensitive receptors.
Cracked actin filaments as mechanosensitive receptors. bioRxiv. 2023 Jun 28.
PMID: 37425801
Learning to learn by using nonequilibrium training protocols for adaptable materials.
Learning to learn by using nonequilibrium training protocols for adaptable materials. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2023 Jul 04; 120(27):e2219558120.
PMID: 37364104
Epithelial tissue confinement inhibits cell growth and leads to volume-reducing divisions.
Epithelial tissue confinement inhibits cell growth and leads to volume-reducing divisions. Dev Cell. 2023 08 21; 58(16):1462-1476.e8.
PMID: 37339629