Connecting imaging to mechanical measurements

When it comes to characterizing mechanics at the cellular scale, the accuracy and precision of current methods are still limited. In this project, Prof. Kolinski and Prof. Persat will connect imaging to mechanical measurements by developing a set of hardware and software tools that can measure microscale 3D force fields and surface stresses. The goal will be to improve our understanding of the function of forces in the physiology of biological systems. The new tools can then be used to study the mechanobiology of bacterial pathogens and will be widely applicable in other fields as well, such as microscale mechanics and the study of soft matter.