Project
Dynamics of phagocytosis
Phagocytosis, the uptake of large particles by (immune) cells, is critical for maintaining healthy tissues and protection against infection. At the cellular level, it requires rapid and large changes in cell shape for the engulfment of the prey. We use high-resolution microscopy and biophysical methods to study how phagocytes perform this complex task.
How are engulfment dynamics tailored to the wildly varying prey, ranging from bacteria to dead cells, that immune cells encounter? What is the molecular machinery involved in uptake of these different targets? What are the physical mechanisms driving target engulfment? Understanding how this process precisely depends on target properties will ultimately be essential for design of novel therapeutics targeting macrophages.