Losert Lab

We study how mechanical forces and surface topography couple to biochemical signals and contribute to the operation of signaling pathways e.g. in cell motility. 

We study physical properties of membranes that are driven out of equilibrium.  We force membrane deformations by direct forcing in multiple points with holographic optical tweezers.  This results in shape changes that reveal the membrane mechanics and reveal timescales of relaxations governed by both membrane and fluid dynamics. 

Membrane Deformations

Cell Dynamics

Our model system for studies of motility is the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum, which is an NIH-designated model system for chemotaxis and development.  D. discoideum has strong similarities to mammalian cells in key signaling pathways for chemotaxis and development.

Our goal is to characterize cell dynamics in the presence of competing chemical and mechanical signals

Dictyostelium Dynamics driven by competing signals

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