🔬 Dynamics of Living Systems

Wolfgang Losert

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Project type: Computation and Experiments

The TREND project will involve measurements of the dynamics of living systems - from subcellular structures to cell groups. The goal is to gain insights into the dynamical electrical, biomechanical, and biochemical rhythms of cells and tissues. The TREND student will learn to extract multiparametric descriptions from 3D and 4D datasets and may also participate in the acquisition of such data on cellular systems using advanced microscopy. The project may also involve adaptation of simple dynamical models to further characterize dynamic living systems.

Examples of previous projects include:

  • Characterizing cell motion on complex surfaces: The Losert lab studies how mechanical forces and surface topography contribute to the operation of signaling pathways in cell motility. To assess the role of the physical environment of motile cells, the group nanofabricates controlled cell environments, images and perturbs cell motion on these surfaces, and uses modeling to interpret observed cell dynamics. The undergraduate student project would involve analysis of cell motion using Matlab and contribution to the cell motility experiments (depending on the student's background, more or less experiments would be carried out).
  • Developing a laser-based optical system to steer cells

Professor Losert has mentored numerous undergraduates, including over a dozen students through the TREND program.

Alumni/Previous Projects

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