Our laboratory is interested in how the signaling and cytoskeletal proteins at the plasma membrane transduce signals arising from extracellular force into cellular responses. We have linked membrane proteins known for their roles in muscular dystrophies to signaling pathways understood best for their roles during tumor cell growth and migration. We are finding both similarities and differences between these pathways in tumor and other nonmuscle cells versus skeletal muscle and heart cells. We aim to both increase our basic understanding of stiffness-sensing biochemical sensing and to identify cell type-specific interactions that can be targeted for chemotherapeutics and muscular dystrophies.
Our laboratory is interested in how the signaling and cytoskeletal proteins at the plasma membrane transduce signals arising from extracellular force into cellular responses. We have linked membrane proteins known for their roles in muscular dystrophies to signaling pathways understood best for their roles during tumor cell growth and migration. We are finding both similarities and differences between these pathways in tumor and other nonmuscle cells versus skeletal muscle and heart cells. We aim to both increase our basic understanding of stiffness-sensing biochemical sensing and to identify cell type-specific interactions that can be targeted for chemotherapeutics and muscular dystrophies.