Home Department: Bioengineering
Mentor: Fan Yang (Orthopaedic Surgery and Bioengineering)

“Elucidating the Role of Matrix Mechanics in Modulating Tumor-Associated Macrophage Phenotype in 3D"

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are core components of the glioblastoma (GBM) tumor niche, influencing tumor progression and resistance. GBM progression is associated with changes in matrix mechanics, yet how matrix mechanics impact TAM phenotype remains largely unknown. This project will harness hydrogels to investigate how matrix stiffness and stress relaxation impact TAM mechanosensing and fates related to tumor progression such as proliferation, polarization, and migration. Findings from this study will inform the discovery of potential new therapies for GBM via targeting TAM and mechanosensing.