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Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Group


Dennis E. Discher

Dennis E. Discher, Ph.D.
Professor, Depts of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering and Bioengineering

Cell Biology and Physiology Program


Address

Biophysical Engineering Lab
112 Towne Bldg
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6393

Office tel.: 215 898-4809
Lab tel.: 215 898-4809
Fax: 215 573-2093
E-mail: discher@seas.upenn.edu

Link(s)

Dr. Discher's Lab Webpage

EDUCATION

UC Davis: BS, 1986.

Berkeley & UC San Francisco: PhD (Bioengineering), 1993.

Research Interests

  • Cell and nuclear membrane structure-function.
  • Adhesion mechanisms and responses of cells.
  • Phagocyte recognition processes.
  • Membrane skeleton and cytoskeleton.
  • Diseases ranging from muscular dystrophy to anemias to athersclerosis.
  • Drug delivery

Key words: membrane, cytoskeleton, phagocytosis, adhesion, blood cell, muscle differentiation, drug delivery.

PubMed Search
Search PubMed for articles

Description of Research

Our focus is molecular and cell biophysics, ranging from matrix-guided differentiation of stem cells and muscle to nuclear plasticity.

Recent Publications

C.P. Johnson, H-Y. Tang, C. Carag, D.W. Speicher, and D.E. Discher. Forced unfolding of proteins within cells. Science (in press).

A. Engler, S. Sen, H.L. Sweeney, and D.E. Discher. (2006). Matrix elasticity directs stem cell lineage specification. Cell. 126, 677-689

D.E. Discher, P. Janmey, Y-L. Wang. (2005). Tissue cells feel and respond to the stiffness of their substrate. Science. 310, 1139-1143

A. Engler, M. Sheehan, S. Sen, C. Bonnemann, H.L. Sweeney, and D.E. Discher. (2004). Myotubes Differentiate Optimally on Substrates with Tissue-like Stiffness: Pathological Implications of Stiff or Soft Microenvironments. Journal of Cell Biology. 166(6), 877-887.
** See Editor's Highlight. And Highlight in Nature **

K.N. Dahl, S.M. Kahn, K.L. Wilson, and D.E. Discher. (2004). The nuclear envelope lamina network has elasticity and a compressibility limit suggestive of a molecular shock absorber. Journal of Cell Science 117, 4779-4786.
** See Editor's Highlight. And Highlight in Nature**

LAB

Rotation Projects

  1. Stem cell differentiation guided by matrix
  2. Phagocytic Synapse signaling: "Don't Eat Me"
  3. Nuclear perturbations and mechanical disease
Lab Personnel:
Fariyal Ahmed, NanoTech Inst. Fellow
Nishant Bhasin, PhD Student
Younghoon Kim, PhD Student
Adam Engler, Ashton Fellow
Shamik Sen, PhD Student
Vanessa Ortiz, IGERT Fellow
Shyamsundar Subramanian, Merck Fellow
David Christian, NIH-Training Grant Fellow
Brian Fyfe, PhD Student
David Pajerowski, Ashton Fellow
Kandaswamy Vijayan, PhD Student
Richard Tsai, PhD Student
Andre Brown, NSERC Fellow
Greg Brobst, PhD Student
Dr. Yan Geng, Research Staff
Dr. Colin Johnson, Research Staff
Dr. Manu Tewari, Research Staff
last updated 7/2007
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