| Developing nano-scale
technology and mechanically stimulate subcellular
domains to determine intracellular structure |
This
undergraduate research activity focuses on developing
nanotechnologies for the application of tractions
on individual mammalian cells at spatially localized
domains. These technologies will help determine
the effects of mechanical stimulation on cell structure
and will test the hypothesis that spatially defined
force application will result in local increased
deformation of intracellular structure in mammalian
cells. These techniques will apply static and dynamic
forces from 0 to 100 nN through the use of fabricated
cantilever nanobeams along with development of
magnetic nanobeads and a permanent magnetic manipulation
system. In this, mechanical deformation will produce
conformational alterations in individual molecules,
which results in alterations in cell structure;
this will be quantified through the use of nanoparticle/mitochondrial
tracking methods. The student on this project will
be working on building and interfacing cells with
either beams or magnetic beads to mechanically
stimulate single cells. |
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