Seminar by Christine Selhuber-Unkel
Dynamic properties of cells: From functional molecules to mechanosensing
Prof. Christine Selhuber-Unkel, Kiel University
Cells are extremely dynamic active systems that interact with their environment through a variety of mechanisms. They are not only influenced by the structure of their environment, but also by chemical and physical stimuli. In my talk I will give an overview of my group’s activities in the field of physics of intracellular dynamics and cell adhesion. A special focus will be put on dynamic photoresponsive interfaces that mimic the extracellular space and can be used to control cell adhesion. These interfaces are based on azobenzene molecules. They are not only able to switch cell adhesion, but also to control cellular mechanosensing with molecular precision. In the future such interface-based methods should enable us to control cellular properties and particularly mechanosensing in biomedically highly relevant applications.