Cell–fluid interaction: inside and outside cells

该项目旨在使用光学镊子测量细胞周围/内部的纳米级环境和使用光片显微镜进行成像，从而在细胞一级测量力学。该项目希望产生关于细胞在其环境中移动的新知识，这与集体行为有关，这对理解感染和生物膜的形成具有重要意义。预期的结果包括加深对从阿米巴到人类的神秘过程的理解，通过这个过程，细胞通过‘吞咽’液体来‘喝’和‘吃’，并通过降解蛋白质和细胞碎片来补充他们的营养摄入。它将产生关于这些过程的新知识，以更好地理解力学如何影响细胞生命。

The project aims to measure mechanics at the cellular level using a combination of optical tweezers for measurement of nano-scale environment around/inside cells and light-sheet microscopy for imaging. The project expects to generate new knowledge about movement of cells through their environment, relating to collective behaviour which is of importance in understanding infections and formation of biofilms. Expected outcomes include deepened understanding of an enigmatic process conserved from amoebae to humans, by which cells ‘drink and eat’ by ‘gulping’ fluid and supplement their nutrient intake by degrading proteins and cell debris. It will generate new knowledge of these processes to better understand how mechanics affects cellular life.