Materials World Network: Microscopic Models of Cross-Linked Active Gels

材料世界网络：交联活性凝胶的微观模型

• 批准号: 0806511
• 负责人: Cristina Marchetti
• 金额: $ 31.4万
• 依托单位: Syracuse University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2008-09-01 至 2012-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0806511&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Materials; World; Network; Microscopic; Models

This award supports an international collaboration for research and education among Syracuse University in the USA, Bristol University in the United Kingdom, and the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa. This collaboration is for theoretical studies that will dramatically improve our understanding of the structure and mechanical properties of networks of cytoskeletal filaments and associated motor proteins, under both in vitro and in vivo conditions. An important outcome will be the identification of the relative importance of physical and biochemical mechanisms in controlling many cell functions, such as motility, force generation and division. The success of the proposed research relies crucially on the complementary expertise of the collaborating research teams in hydrodynamics and nonequilibrium physics (USA), in semiflexible polymer physics (UK) and on theories of polymer gels (South Africa). The first part of the research builds on work by the US and UK groups on purified (in vitro) cell extracts of cytoskeletal filaments and motor proteins (active liquids). By working closely with experimentalists in the US, UK and Germany, the researchers will focus on understanding how filament flexibility and microscopic properties of the motile elements (e.g., motor stiffness, dynamical properties and processivity) affect the macroscopic behavior of the active fluid. The second and major part of the proposal considers the new area of active solids: the cell cytoskeleton (in vivo) and in vitro gels of cytoskeletal filaments linked by both active (motor proteins) and passive crosslinkers. The proposed research will lead to an understanding of the fascinating linear viscoelastic behavior of active gels. Regular student exchange visits planned during this award period will provide mechanisms for close collaboration among the three groups and exceptional educational opportunities and international research experience.The achievement of the scientific goals will be closely linked with a number of more general benefits. First, the research will provide significant scientific progress in areas relevant to physics, biology and biological and biomimetic materials. A better understanding of the processes controlling the complex mechanical properties of the cytoskeleton, the internal framework of a cell, can lead to important advances for the design of a new generation of smart materials at the nanoscale. The collaboration will also open the door, through visits to the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) located near Cape Town, to the establishment of contacts with gifted students in the mathematical sciences from throughout the African continent. Finally, student and postdoctoral researcher exchange among the collaborating groups will expose all team members, including undergraduate students, to research in an international setting. The relationships developed during these exchanges will serve as the foundation for continued collaborations, while promoting long-term International networking.This award is jointly funded by the Division of Materials Research in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate and the Office of International Science and Engineering.

该奖项支持美国雪城大学、英国布里斯托尔大学和南非斯泰伦博斯大学之间的国际研究和教育合作。这项合作是为了理论研究，将极大地提高我们对体外和体内条件下细胞骨架丝和相关运动蛋白网络的结构和机械特性的理解。一个重要的成果将是确定物理和生化机制在控制许多细胞功能（例如运动、力的产生和分裂）中的相对重要性。拟议研究的成功在很大程度上依赖于流体动力学和非平衡物理学（美国）、半柔性聚合物物理学（英国）和聚合物凝胶理论（南非）合作研究团队的互补专业知识。该研究的第一部分建立在美国和英国研究小组对细胞骨架丝和运动蛋白（活性液体）的纯化（体外）细胞提取物的研究基础上。通过与美国、英国和德国的实验人员密切合作，研究人员将重点了解运动元件的细丝灵活性和微观特性（例如运动刚度、动力学特性和持续性）如何影响活动流体的宏观行为。该提案的第二部分也是主要部分考虑了活性固体的新领域：细胞骨架（体内）和由活性（运动蛋白）和被动交联剂连接的细胞骨架丝的体外凝胶。拟议的研究将有助于理解活性凝胶令人着迷的线性粘弹性行为。 在此奖励期间计划的定期学生交流访问将为三个小组之间的密切合作提供机制以及特殊的教育机会和国际研究经验。科学目标的实现将与许多更普遍的利益密切相关。首先，该研究将在物理、生物学以及生物和仿生材料相关领域取得重大科学进展。更好地了解控制细胞骨架（细胞的内部框架）复杂机械特性的过程，可以为新一代纳米级智能材料的设计带来重要进展。此次合作还将通过访问位于开普敦附近的非洲数学科学研究所（AIMS），与来自整个非洲大陆的数学科学天才学生建立联系。最后，合作小组之间的学生和博士后研究员交流将使所有团队成员（包括本科生）接触到国际环境中的研究。这些交流期间建立的关系将成为持续合作的基础，同时促进长期的国际网络。该奖项由数学和物理科学理事会材料研究部和国际科学与工程办公室共同资助。