Mapping tiny mechanical forces inside living cells' genomes
In Situ Force Mapping to See Mechanical Communication in Action in Genomes of Living Cells
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · UNIV OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK · NIH-11262828
This project builds and uses tiny force sensors inside living cells to map how mechanical signals move through the genome, with relevance for people affected by cancer, fibrotic disease, or heart conditions.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIV OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (COLLEGE PARK, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11262828 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
This work puts nanoscale force sensors into living cells to reveal how tiny mechanical pulls travel across the genome and cellular architecture. The team is creating two types of nanoprobes — one that emits light when stressed and a second that forms a force-sensitive mesh — to report forces acting over ~18–75 nm and across time and space. These probes will be delivered into cells and imaged to generate maps of intracellular forces that are normally invisible. The goal is basic laboratory discovery linking mechanical communication to diseases like cancer, fibrosis, and cardiovascular disorders rather than immediate patient treatment.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with cancer, fibrotic conditions, or cardiovascular disease would be most interested in the scientific aims, though this lab-focused project is unlikely to enroll patients directly.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate therapies or clinical trial enrollment are unlikely to receive direct benefit because the work is basic laboratory research on cells and tools development.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the tools could reveal how mechanical signaling contributes to disease and open paths to new mechanotherapy approaches for cancer, fibrosis, and heart disease.
How similar studies have performed: Related work has measured forces at larger scales, but using mechanoluminescent nanoprobes to map 18–75 nm intracellular forces across the genome is largely novel and untested.
Where this research is happening
COLLEGE PARK, UNITED STATES
- UNIV OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK — COLLEGE PARK, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: MUKHINA, MARIA — UNIV OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK
- Study coordinator: MUKHINA, MARIA
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.
Conditions: Cancers