Mechano-Metabolism and Technology in Cancer

As an interdisciplinary team with backgrounds in biomedical engineering, mechanics, physics, and cancer biology, our research lies at the intersection of engineering, mechanics, and medicine. We are interested in applying engineering and physics principles to solve complex biological/biomedical problems. 

Currently, we are developing a unique research program under the theme of Mechano-Metabolism and Technology Development, with a focus on the bioenergetics of cancer cell migration and proliferation, physical cues in the tumor microenvironment, and the thermodynamics and mechanics of tumor cell clusters. We will utilize a tight integration of computational and statistical modeling and machine learning, novel genetic biosensors for metabolic and mechanical signals, tissue-engineered 2D and 3D cell culture platforms, and ex vivo and in vivo mouse models to build a detailed understanding of the mechanobiology of cancer invasion, and we hope to continue to benefit from a collaborative mindset. Ultimately, we will expand our work more toward patient data and patient needs. This work will provide new mechanistic insight into the remarkable mechano-regulation of human diseases. We expect it to lay the foundation of metabolic and mechano-based therapies and diagnostic tools for cancer treatment.

Goals

To explore unknown biomedical knowledge to improve human health.

To develop novel quantitative and mechanical tools to help understand biomedical science.

Current Research Projects

1. Develop quantitative tools to understand the mechanics of cancer collective migration (supported by NIGMS grant).

2. Develop engineering tools to understand the role of cellular mechanical phenotype in diseases and biology (supported by NIBIB grant).

3. Understand the mechano-metabolism of tumor clusters (supported by NCI grant).

4. Understand the bioenergetics of cancer cell migration, proliferation, and cell-matrix mechanical interactions.

Our research is supported by