Profile

Name	Biophysical Chemistry - Spatz Group
Contact Person	Aaron Lindner
Group Leader	Joachim Spatz
Address	Physikalisch-Chemisches Institut Im Neuenheimer Feld 253 69120 Heidelberg Germany
Website	http://www.pci.uni-heidelberg.de/bpc/biophysik.html

Keywords

active biopolymers,  biophysics,  biotechnology,  cellular cortex,  cellular physics,  microfabrication,  molecular biology,  nanotechnology

Scientific Summary

AK Spatz: The aim of our studies is to understand the dynamic regulation of adhesive contacts and of the cytoskeleton architecture of cells, and its resultant influence on cellular activities. In this context, we apply new optical and mechanical techniques and use novel micro- and nanostructured materials to perform adhesion and viscoelastic experiments on living cells. We also construct biomimetic models of protein networks with tunable complexity to untangle chemo-mechanical properties of the cytoskeleton and the adhesion complex.