Summary

We are a highly interdisciplinary laboratory, integrating experimental efforts across physics, chemistry, biology, and medicine to investigate how physical factors influence the processes driving cell behavior and functionality. Our work focuses on the cellular effects of mechanical forces and nanomaterials. Our laboratory's mission is to harness the principles of physics, chemistry, cell biology, and advanced live-cell microscopy to uncover how mechanical forces, both external and internal, shape cell fate by affecting organelle interactions and functions. From studying the life cycle of a single protein to examining how groups of proteins regulate critical cellular events, our work aims to bridge the gap between theoretical and practical cell biophysics.

We study the interactions of various nanomaterials with cells, concentrating our research on hepatotoxic effects and their links to liver disease, while uncovering the underlying molecular mechanisms of hepatotoxicity. Additionally, we examine how tumor cells adapt their metabolism to physical stimuli from the cellular microenvironment. A central aspect of our work is understanding how mechanical disruption and alteration of key organelles (e.g., lysosomes, mitochondria, and endoplasmic reticulum) ultimately change cell functionality, leading to the rewiring of liver cancer cells toward tumor expansion.

Recognizing that both biochemical and physical cues in cell microenvironments shape cellular functions, we have expanded our research focus to liver preclinical models, particularly for drug testing. We combine approaches from cellular mechanics with cell biology to develop and study advanced liver preclinical models.