Curvature defines the central theme of membrane traffic processes

The central theme of Dr. Jian Liu’s research is to understand how mechanical actions feedback to biochemical pathways in cellular processes, and how such mechanochemical crosstalk among key cellular players governs spatial-temporal regulation and shapes cell functions. He confronts these challenges by bringing together theoretical and computational studies, rooted in statistical mechanics, with a diversity of biological experiments. His seminar will provide an overview of his current research interest – spanning the fields of cell migration, cell division, and membrane trafficking – with a particular emphasis on membrane shape-mediated excitability in cellular processes.