Westfälische Universität Münster Institut für Integrative Zellbiologie und Physiologie

We, the group of Quantitative Cell Biology at the University of Münster (Germany), develop novel microscopy methods to investigate molecular processes underlying the mechanobiology of cells. Specifically, we have established single-molecule calibrated FRET-based biosensors, super-resolution microscopy and optogenetic tools that allow us to study whether and how distinct intracellular molecules become exposed to mechanical forces.
We utilize our methods to investigate the molecular mechanics of cell-matrix and cell-cell adhesions in various mammalian cell types including fibroblasts and keratinocytes but also model organisms such as Dictyostelium discoideum. Processes are studied by state-of-the-art fluorescence lifetime microscopy (FLIM), single-molecule resolved superresolution microscoy and optogenetic approaches.

In short: Our group pioneers methods development for cellular mechanobiology, which allows us to explore mechano-biological processes that were inaccessible to other technologies before.