Mechanical Signaling and Cell Fate
Event details
| Date | 06.10.2017 |
| Hour | 14:00 › 15:00 |
| Speaker | Kevin J. Chalut, Ph.D., Cambridge University, Cambridge (UK) |
| Location | |
| Category | Conferences - Seminars |
BIOENGINEERING SEMINAR
Abstract:
The role of mechanical signaling in cell fate choice has been largely overlooked; however, it plays a significant role in tuning cellular response to signals. My lab is investigating the interplay between biochemical signaling and mechanical signaling in cell fate choice.
I will show first in the mouse embryo that biochemical signaling modulates cytoskeletal contractility to influence spatial positioning and solidify cell fate choice. I will then show that mechanics tunes the response of the cell to biochemical signaling to steer fate choice. This hypothetical feedback loop between mechanics and biochemical signaling likely has significant impact on cellular plasticity both in development and stem cells.
I will also present an example demonstrating the functional impact of mechanics on stem cell function. In this example, we have shown that we can reverse the loss of plasticity associated with ageing by controlling the mechanical microenvironment.
Ultimately, I will advance the hypothesis that mechanical sensing acts as a switch to modulate growth factor signaling to modulate cell fate choice.
Bio:
Dr. Kevin Chalut is a biophysicist with a PhD in Physics from Duke University. Since 2011 he has been a Royal Society University Research Fellow. Kevin’s post-graduate background is in biotechnology and imaging, particularly with regards to detecting cancer and characterising stem cells. He is currently a group leader at both the Cavendish Laboratory and the Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Stem Cell Institute.
His work focuses on developing novel biotechnology to investigate physical states of cells such as mechanics and subcellular structure; in the last few years he has focused almost exclusively on the biophysics of embryos and embryonic stem cells. The ultimate goal of his laboratory is to discover physical mechanisms and their importance to pluripotency, differentiation and reprogramming.
Abstract:
The role of mechanical signaling in cell fate choice has been largely overlooked; however, it plays a significant role in tuning cellular response to signals. My lab is investigating the interplay between biochemical signaling and mechanical signaling in cell fate choice.
I will show first in the mouse embryo that biochemical signaling modulates cytoskeletal contractility to influence spatial positioning and solidify cell fate choice. I will then show that mechanics tunes the response of the cell to biochemical signaling to steer fate choice. This hypothetical feedback loop between mechanics and biochemical signaling likely has significant impact on cellular plasticity both in development and stem cells.
I will also present an example demonstrating the functional impact of mechanics on stem cell function. In this example, we have shown that we can reverse the loss of plasticity associated with ageing by controlling the mechanical microenvironment.
Ultimately, I will advance the hypothesis that mechanical sensing acts as a switch to modulate growth factor signaling to modulate cell fate choice.
Bio:
Dr. Kevin Chalut is a biophysicist with a PhD in Physics from Duke University. Since 2011 he has been a Royal Society University Research Fellow. Kevin’s post-graduate background is in biotechnology and imaging, particularly with regards to detecting cancer and characterising stem cells. He is currently a group leader at both the Cavendish Laboratory and the Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Stem Cell Institute.
His work focuses on developing novel biotechnology to investigate physical states of cells such as mechanics and subcellular structure; in the last few years he has focused almost exclusively on the biophysics of embryos and embryonic stem cells. The ultimate goal of his laboratory is to discover physical mechanisms and their importance to pluripotency, differentiation and reprogramming.
Practical information
- Informed public
- Free
Organizer
Contact
- Institute of Bioengineering (IBI, Dietrich REINHARD)