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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.
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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.
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
- Stem cell differentiation guided by matrix
- Phagocytic Synapse signaling: "Don't Eat Me"
- 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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