FORCES DURING VIRUS AND PARTICLE UPTAKE
Pathogens tailor their physical and chemical characteristics to gain entry into host cells. The overall goal of this project is to determine how cell sensing of the physico-chemical features of viruses and nanoparticles (NPs) regulates their uptake, and investigate the energies required to drive the endocytic process. The uptake process involves the fine-tuning of physical and chemical cues at the cellular interface which support optimal binding, cell membrane bending and uptake in cells. To decouple and quantify the chemical and mechanical contributions to the uptake process we designed two major methods to study early interactions of nanoparticles with cell surfaces: NP covalent immobilization on surfaces via click chemistry (Fratini et al) and NP linking to molecular sensors to measure molecular forces generated upon binding (Wiegand et al; Pennarola et al).
INFLUENCE OF THE PLASMA MEMBRANE ON CELL MECHANICS
The plasma membrane acts both as a barrier and a center for communication. We are interested in the role of the plasma membrane and its different lipids in the biomechanical crosstalk between cells and their environment. This ranges from the biophysical properties of the membrane to the membrane dynamics during particle uptake and how cells communicate with each other.
