Force Talk: Professor Zheng Liu - Deciphering the temporal code of mechanotransduction in living cells at the single-molecule level

 

Join Professor Zheng Liu from Wuhan University for a Force Talk entitled “Deciphering the temporal code of mechanotransduction in living cells at the single-molecule level”.

Abstract:

Cells are constantly engaged in a dialogue with the mechanical forces of their surroundings, a conversation that directs key processes such as migration, proliferation, and differentiation. The ability to precisely measure these forces—capturing their magnitude, duration and loading rates—is essential for an in-depth understanding of cellular functions. Traditional methods for imaging cellular forces excel at pinpointing force thresholds but fall short in shedding light on the dynamics of these forces. To bridge this gap, we present the ForceChrono probe, which uses single-molecule force imaging to accurately quantify the complex interplay of force parameters. It measures not only the magnitude, but also durations and loading rates of force applied. Our findings reveal that both the duration of integrin forces and their loading rates are significantly affected by vinculin, actin-binding proteins and ligand spacing. The ForceChrono probe has distinct advantages, such as precise analysis of single-molecule force dynamics and robust resistance to fluorescence fluctuations, which will significantly advance our understanding of cell adhesion and mechanotransduction at the single-molecule level.

Speaker:

Dr. Zheng Liu is a Principal Investigator of the Institute for Advanced Studies & TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences at Wuhan University, China. He earned his Bachelor's degree in Chemistry from Xiamen University in China and went on to obtain his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from the same university in 2010. His doctoral research primarily focused on the study of single-molecule vibrational spectroscopy combining Raman spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscope. In 2013, he joined the laboratory of Khalid Salaita at Emory University for his postdoctoral training, where he concentrated on developing optomechanical actuators for controlling the mechanotransduction pathway in living cells. He returned to China in 2017 and established his own laboratory at Wuhan University. Currently, he is utilizing single-molecule fluorescence imaging techniques to investigate how cells perceive and transmit mechanical cues throughout their lifecycle, and how they utilize these mechanical signals to regulate their own functions. His research involves systems related to cell spreading, migration, rigidity sensing, and T cell activation.

How to join:

This event will take place online via Microsoft Teams. Register for this event to receive the meeting link and be notified of updates.

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