TRD 2: Molecular Imaging Tools for Visualizing and Controlling Cellular Responses to Force
The Hahn laboratory focuses on the development of new approaches to quantify the spatio-temporal dynamics of signaling in living cells, and to engineer genetically encoded proteins so that their specific activities can be manipulated with second and micron resolution in vivo. As a new component in CISMM, TRD 2 provides collaborators with the ability to visualize and manipulate signaling molecules in cells as they are subjected to controlled forces. We provide already-developed biosensors and photo-responsive signaling proteins, and apply well-validated methods to generate new biosensors or engineer light and small molecule sensitivity into molecules specified by CISMM collaborators. Proteins of special relevance to force and mechanics include the guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs), which modulate the Rho family of GTPases and related kinases.