Mechanobiology tools for dissecting drivers of membrane mechanics, form, and function

In this project, the investigators will develop high-throughput screening technologies which use CRISPR-Cas9 to identify proteins that impact cell membrane mechanics, particularly how membranes adapt to physical stresses. They will test how these proteins affect membrane stability and resilience across the tree of life, from a single-celled amoeba to cultured human lung cells. Understanding cell membrane adaptability is a frontier in basic biology with implications for human health. 

This project is part of the 2024 Membrane Biophysics cohort

Researchers in this cohort will focus on cellular membranes that separate cell contents from the surrounding environment, allow cells to change shape, exchange materials, and respond to their environment. Despite having been implicated in numerous human diseases, little is known about the principles governing cell membrane biology and biophysics. This cohort will expand the frontiers of our understanding of fundamental aspects of cell membrane form, function, and dynamics using innovative technologies and analytical frameworks, with important implications for basic science and human health.