Multiscale Mechanobiology: Linking Mechanical Forces to Diseases
BYOUNG CHOUL KIM
Associate Professor, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Department of Anatomy
Mechanical forces applied to mechanosensitive membrane proteins are increasingly recognized as pivotal determinants of disease progression, particularly in cancer metastasis, fibrosis, and neurodegenerative disorders. However, comprehensively quantifying the tension exerted on membrane proteins remains challenging, primarily due to the lack of measurement tools with single-molecule precision. To address this challenge, our research employs advanced single-molecule measurement techniques, including a novel DNA-based force probe known as the Tension Gauge Tether (TGT). By integrating the TGT assay with micro- and nanofabrication technologies, we have enabled precise quantification of spatiotemporal fluctuations in mechanical tension transmitted through specific membrane proteins, offering new insights into the mechanical underpinnings of cancer metastasis, fibrosis, and amyloid precursor protein cleavage in Alzheimer's disease. This seminar will introduce the principles of single-molecule force probing and highlight recent discoveries that link molecular-scale mechanical forces to the initiation and progression of diseases.
