Paul A. Janmey, Ph.D.

faculty photo
Professor of Physiology
Department: Physiology

Contact information
Institute for Medicine and Engineering
University of Pennsylvania
1010 Vagelos Research Laboratories
3340 Smith Walk
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6383
Office: 215 573-7380
Fax: 215 573-6815
Education:
A.B. (Chemistry and Philosophy)
Oberlin College, 1976.
Ph.D. (Physical Chemistry)
University of Wisconsin, 1982.
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Description of Research Expertise

Research Interests
cytoskeleton, phosphoinositide signalling, cell mechanics.

Key words: actin, PIP2, cytoskeleton, gel, astrocyte, fibrin, gelsolin.

Description of Research
Our lab studies several aspects of cell mechanics. In one project, we produce soft materials, usually hydrogels, to which cell adhesion proteins are linked to study how the stiffness of surfaces alters cell structure, function, and growth. Endothelial cells, fibroblasts, neurons and astrocytes each show unique dependence on substrate stiffness, and we seek to understand how they sense and respond to this mechanical cue. In related work we measure the structure and mechanics of cytoskeletal polymers using a variety of imaging, scattering, and rheologic methods. Further studies examine how changes in cell membrane structure mediated by inositol phospholipids lead to production of signals that remodel the cytoskeleton.

Rotation Projects
1. Image morphology and cytoskeletal changes in GFP-actin or GFP-vimentin expressing fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and other cell types grown of soft materials.

2. Fluorescence and atomic force microscopy of purified cytoskeletal polymers and associated motor proteins.

3. Use of fibrin gels as matrices for cell culture.

Lab personnel:
Fitzroy Byfield, Elisabeth Charrier, Ph.D., LiKang Chin, Ph.D., Katrina Cruz, Sarah Kim, Tongkeun Lee, Maria Murray, Ph.D., David Slochower, Anne Van Oosten, William Yang, Sameera Zaidi

Selected Publications

Chen, Xingyu, Chen, Dongning, Ban, Ehsan, Toussaint, Kimani C., Janmey, Paul A., Wells, Rebecca G., Shenoy, Vivek B.: Glycosaminoglycans modulate long-range mechanical communication between cells in collagen networks. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 119(15), 2022.

Pogoda, Katarzyna, Byfield, Fitzroy, Deptula, Piotr, Ciesluk, Mateusz, Suprewicz, Lukasz, Sklodowski, Karol, Shivers, Jordan L., van Oosten, Anne, Cruz, Katrina, Tarasovetc, Ekaterina, Grishchuk, Ekaterina L., Mackintosh, Fred C., Bucki, Robert, Patteson, Alison E., Janmey, Paul A.: Unique Role of Vimentin Networks in Compression Stiffening of Cells and Protection of Nuclei from Compressive Stress. Nano Letters 22(12): 4725-4732, 2022.

Piktel, Ewelina, Wnorowska, Urszula, Depciuch, Joanna, Lysik, Dawid, Ciesluk, Mateusz, Fiedoruk, Krzysztof, Mystkowska, Joanna, Parlinska-Wojtan, Magdalena, Janmey, Paul A., Bucki, Robert: N-Acetyl-Cysteine Increases Activity of Peanut-Shaped Gold Nanoparticles Against Biofilms Formed by Clinical Strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolated from Sputum of Cystic Fibrosis Patients. Infection and Drug Resistance 15: 851-871, 2022.

Patteson, Alison E., Asp, Merrill E., Janmey, Paul A.: Materials science and mechanosensitivity of living matter. Applied Physics Reviews 9(1), 2022.

Parihar, Kshitiz, Nukpezah, Jonathan, Iwamoto, Daniel V., Janmey, Paul A., Radhakrishnan, Ravi: Data driven and biophysical insights into the regulation of trafficking vesicles by extracellular matrix stiffness. Iscience 25(8), 2022.

Morr, Anna S., Herthum, Helge, Schrank, Felix, Goerner, Steffen, Anders, Matthias S., Lerchbaumer, Markus, Mueller, Hans-Peter, Fischer, Thomas, Jenderka, Klaus-Vitold, Hansen, Hendrik H. G., Janmey, Paul A., Braun, Juergen, Sack, Ingolf, Tzschatzsch, Heiko: Liquid-Liver Phantom Mimicking the Viscoelastic Dispersion of Human Liver for Ultrasound- and MRI-Based Elastography. Investigative Radiology 57(8): 502-509, 2022.

Lysik, Dawid, Deptula, Piotr, Chmielewska, Sylwia, Sklodowski, Karol, Pogoda, Katarzyna, Chin, LiKang, Song, Dawei, Mystkowska, Joanna, Janmey, Paul A., Bucki, Robert: Modulation of Biofilm Mechanics by DNA Structure and Cell Type. Acs Biomaterials Science & Engineering 2022.

Kraus, Emile A., Mellenthin, Lauren E., Siwiecki, Sara A., Song, Dawei, Yan, Jing, Janmey, Paul A., Sweeney, Alison M.: Rheology of marine sponges reveals anisotropic mechanics and tuned dynamics. Journal of the Royal Society Interface 19(195), 2022.

Galie, Peter A., Georges, Penelope C., Janmey, Paul A.: How do cells stiffen? Biochemical Journal 479(17): 1825-1842, 2022.

DeOre, Brandon J., Baldwin-LeClair, Abigail, Tran, Kiet A., DaSilva, Angelica, Byfield, Fitzroy J., Janmey, Paul A., Galie, Peter A.: Microindentation of Fluid-Filled Cellular Domes Reveals the Contribution of RhoA-ROCK Signaling to Multicellular Mechanics. Small 18(21), 2022.

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Last updated: 11/28/2022
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