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SUMMARY:Can Polymer Physics Help Cellular Biomedicine? - Professor Josef K
 äs (Soft Matter Physics\, Leipzig)
DTSTART:20061116T161500Z
DTEND:20061116T164500Z
UID:TALK5537@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Duncan Simpson
DESCRIPTION:The cytoskeleton\, an intracellular polymeric scaffold\, stabi
 lizes and organizes biological cells. As a compound of highly dynamic prot
 ein filaments and active nano-sized molecular motors it mechanically sense
 s a cell’s environment and generates forces for cellular motion sufficie
 ntly strong to push rigid AFM cantilevers out of the way. The study of the
  cytoskeleton from a polymer physics perspective with novel optical micro 
 and nano-manipulation techniques\, scanning force microscopy\, time lapse 
 image analysis of intracellular processes\, and modern genetic manipulatio
 n methods leads to results\, which simultaneously promote physics and medi
 cine (diagnosis as well as therapy). The extremely sensitive polymeric pro
 perties of single cells’ cytoskeletons measured with the laser-based Opt
 ical Stretcher distinguish different cell types and monitor cellular chang
 es such as cancer progression and stem cell differentiation proving recent
  theories on semiflexible polymers. Cellular motion required for neuronal 
 plasticity and nerve regeneration – but also found in cancer metastasis 
 – inspire the emerging field of active polymer networks. The resulting\,
  novel perception of cell migration will impact therapies for reducing met
 astatic aggressiveness and inspire new strategies for nerve regeneration. 
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LOCATION:Kaetsu Centre\, New Hall
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