Online Seminar

Gaudenz Danuser, UT Southwestern

Controlling cell protrusion The mechanics, the chemistry, and the surprises

The ability to change shape is absolutely essential to every form of cellular life. One very prominent process in shape changes is the protrusion of a subregion of the cell surface. Numerous mechanisms allow cells to initiate and sustain protrusions; the most abundantly employed relies on polymerization of actin filaments. Actin filament polymerization is controlled by an integrated system of molecular processes – also referred to as pathways – that respond to mechanical forces and changes in the local biochemical condition. The responses are highly nonlinear and dictated by functional overlap between pathways – properties that render the analysis of the system quite challenging. Moreover, many of the molecular processes are spread in space and time, which further complicates the analysis of functional interactions between pathways. My lab has developed numerous imaging and mathematical approaches to illuminate such molecular systems in great depth. I will highlight some of the milestones on this journey and conclude with a recent twist that redirected our biophysical perspectives of cell protrusion control towards cancer biology.

Please register: lmu-munich.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYqdO2prjIoG9Bgnbm1R7ccTFv2ddcUEN99

Monday, 04.05.20

16:00 h - 17:00 h