Title: The Cytoplasmic Control of Mechanotransduction in Platelet Adhesion and B-Cell Activation

Abstract: 

One can classify cell-surface receptors into three broad categories: 1) Ion channel-linked receptors; 2) G-protein-coupled receptors, and 3) Enzyme-linked receptors. Despite the first two, signaling initiation mechanism upon ligand-binding in enzyme-linked receptors is largely unknown. Many of these receptors have been shown to be mechanosensitive in the sense that they can decode the mechanical information presented by the engaged ligand and transduce the signal for an appropriate response. Here, it is proposed to investigate the effect of specific cytoplasmic interactions of platelet integrin alphaIIb/beta3, GPIb-IX, and B-cell antigen receptors on their mechanotransduction. A variety of biophysical and imaging techniques designed to probe and visualize single-bond interactions would be used in the hope of finding a unifying biological theme governing such signaling mechanisms.

Committee:

Prof. Cheng Zhu (Advisor) - George Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering

Prof. Andres Garcia - George Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering

Prof. Ankur Singh - George Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering

Prof. Xiaoping Du - Department of Pharmacology & Regenerative Medicine (University of Illinois at Chicago)

Prof. Wolfgang Bergmeier - UNC School of medicine - Biochemistry and Biophysics

Date and location: Monday, November 03, 2025 at 11:00 AM Where: MRDC Building, Room 3515