How Cells Sense Forces in Their Surroundings
Quantitative Molecular Imaging in Engineered Cellular Microenvironments to Study and Control Directional Mechanosensing
This research aims to understand how cells, including cancer cells, sense and respond to forces in their environment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Florida State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tallahassee, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11143109 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Our bodies' cells constantly feel and react to forces around them, which is crucial for many processes like healing and development. When cells sense forces incorrectly, it can contribute to diseases like cancer. This project is developing new ways to see exactly how individual molecules inside cells respond to these forces. By understanding these tiny movements, we hope to learn more about how cells behave in health and disease.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This foundational laboratory research does not directly involve patients, but its findings could eventually inform treatments for people with various cancers.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate treatment options would not directly benefit from this basic science project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new ways to disrupt cancer cell movement and growth by targeting how they sense their environment.
How similar studies have performed: While tools for measuring molecular forces in living cells are limited, previous work has shown that molecules in the cell's internal structure can respond to forces in a direction-dependent way.
Where this research is happening
Tallahassee, United States
- Florida State University — Tallahassee, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Driscoll, Tristan P — Florida State University
- Study coordinator: Driscoll, Tristan P
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.