Our group tries to answer these questions using a systems biology approach, in which we integrate interacting networks of protein and lipids with the physical forces determined by the spatial geometry of the cell.  We use theoretical and computational techniques to make predictions that we can verify experimentally using synthetic, chemical, or genetic perturbations. 

We primarily focus on bacteria, in which the exquisite patterning of the interior in both space and time is critical for a wide variety of cellular functions. The wide variety of shapes and sizes that bacteria take on can be used as synthetic environment for studying the establishment of intracellular organization and the cellular response to perturbations in morphology. Ultimately, the manipulation of cell shape may provide a direct tool for engineering complex cellular behaviors.

Currently, we are interested in (i) the role of the cell wall in cell-shape determination, (ii) the regulation and mechanics of the cell cycle and cell division, (iii) the spatial and temporal organization of the membrane, (iv) the role of the membrane in transmembrane-protein interactions and ion channel gating, and (v) collective behavior in bacteria.

To read more about our research, click here...

For information regarding positions as a rotation student, graduate student, or postdoc, please contact KC Huang at kchuang[at]stanford[dot]edu

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