Mechanobiology (IBI-2)
IBI-2 is dedicated to the experimental study of the mechanobiology of living cells of animal and human origin. Our work focuses on the interplay of molecular architecture and mechanical properties, the interaction of cells with substrates and neighbouring cells, as well as the recognition and processing of mechanical signals by cells. These issues are of the utmost importance fro the production of biofunctional materials ("tissue engineering") and for the understanding of many physiological and pathological processes such as the development of the central nervous system, tissue degeneration in cadiovascular or skin diseases, and tumrourigenesis. For this research, modern methods of cell biophysics and molecular cell biology are applied and, if necessary, further developed.