Construction of a Cooperative International Network for Mechanobiology Research towards Integrative Understanding of Multicellular Movement

Project Gist

Illuminate the wonder of cells that sense and generate mechanical forces.

Keywords

Mechanical force, Collectivity, Cell migration, Biophysics, Mathematical model

Background and Purpose

Cells have an ability to sense and generate mechanical forces through biochemical reactions. Understanding complex mechano-chemical coupling systems is a key challenge in a new scientific discipline called mechanobiology. In this study, we focused on collective cell movement, and aimed to promote international joint researches by Japan, Spain, and Austria through a development of a new technology to simultaneously measure the chemical signals and the forces.

Project Achievements

We published two papers in Developmental Cell and Nature Physics through our international collaboration. In addition, we held two symposia and two workshops at academic conferences, and three seminars for invited researchers from overseas, building a new research network in Japan and abroad. In addition, my proposal, which was inspired by the SPIRITS international collaborative research, was adopted by JST and hired as a ‘sakigake’ researcher.

Future Prospects

The target of this study was “cells” but we will try to expand the international collaborative research network in mechanobiology by targeting “organs”. We will also aim to obtain new research funding to promote further international joint research.

Figure

Joint Research/Academic Institutions Abroad

IBEC Barcelona, IST Austria

Principal Investigator