On Friday, February 3, 2023, we are excited to welcome special guest Prof. Eric Wieschaus from Princeton University as he presents "Genes and the Mechanics of Cell Shape Change."

ABOUT THE SEMINAR

Genes and the Mechanics of Cell Shape Change

The early stages of embryonic development provide some of the most visually impressive transformation of shape and form in all of biology. These transformations ultimately depend gene activity in different regions of the embryo. To produce visible morphological changes such gene expression patterns must be translated into local differences in force production and in the passive and active physical properties of cells that respond to those forces. My talk will review the relationship between gene activities and the physical forces that produce epithelial folds and other morphological changes in the early Drosophila embryo. The experiments involve live imaging of cytoskeleton and cell adhesion, as well as novel strategies to measure physical parameters like viscosity and elasticity in living embryos. 

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Eric Wieschaus, Ph.D., Squibb Professor of Molecular Biology, Princeton University; Nobel Prize Winner (1995)

In the late 1970s, Eric Wieschaus and Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard carried out large-scale mutagenesis screens to identify genes controlling embryonic development in Drosophila.  These screens were designed to identify key components in all pathways governing morphology, patterning and differentiation and established a basic “tool box” of factors that operate in the Drosophila embryo.  His recent work focuses on the mechanics of cell shape change and movement during gastrulation, and on information theory and biophysical measurements to investigate how patterns of gene activity are established in the early embryo.  Wieschaus was awarded the 1995 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

ABOUT DR. RICHARD SKALAK

Dr. Richard Skalak, who was one of the first researchers in the field of bioengineering, taught at Columbia for more than 40 years. Skalak was among the first researchers to use engineering principles to understand biological problems. He is known for his groundbreaking work in the mechanics of blood flow, bone growth, white blood cell response to infections, and biological implications and responses to implants. Skalak was director of Columbia's Bioengineering Institute from 1978 to 1987. He won numerous significant scientific honors over his career, including election to the National Academy of Engineering in 1988. Columbia Engineering hosts the Richard Skalak Bioengineering Lecture in his honor. Click here to view a list of past Skalak Lectures.

ABOUT THE 2022-2023 BME SEMINAR SERIES

The Department of Biomedical Engineering at Columbia University is proud to host an annual weekly seminar series on the latest developments and research in Biomedical Engineering. The weekly series takes place on Friday mornings at 11:00 AM Eastern and includes a variety of renowned academics from top universities to talk about their specific research and experience. The January 21 seminar is a virtual event.