How lining cells sense and respond to uneven tissue mechanics
Epithelial Cell Mechanobiology in Mechanically Heterogeneous Microenvironments
This work looks at how epithelial cells react to differences in tissue stiffness and shape to help people with wounds or cancers.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11258874 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have a wound or a tumor, researchers are growing lab models that mimic the soft and stiff layers of tissues to see how the cells that line organs move and repair damage. They watch leader cells make forceful protrusions, follow how cells coordinate through junctions and the nucleus, and test how past mechanical environments change future behavior. The team uses 3-D collagen matrices, controlled mechanical environments, and advanced imaging to track cell movement, forces, and remodeling of the matrix. These experiments focus on basic cell behaviors that underlie wound closure and tumor invasion.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with epithelial cancers or chronic wounds could be relevant as future tissue donors or candidates for related clinical follow-up studies.
Not a fit: Patients with conditions unrelated to epithelial tissues, such as many blood disorders, are unlikely to see direct benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could reveal targets to slow tumor invasion or speed wound healing by changing how cells sense and remember mechanical cues.
How similar studies have performed: Prior mechanobiology studies have shown cells sense stiffness and can retain mechanical 'memory,' but translating those findings into clinical treatments is still largely unproven.
Where this research is happening
Saint Louis, United States
- Washington University — Saint Louis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pathak, Amit — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Pathak, Amit
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.