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Mammalian nuclear chromatin organization is central to determing cellular fate and memory. Epigenetic redistibution changes chromatin organization dynamically in response to external cues, thereby determining the genetic regulation of the cell. Our group strives to develop novel theoretical models and computational tools to investigate and understand the driving forces for cellular behavior as governed by chromatin organization. We validate our findings through super-resolution imaging and next-gen sequencing. In particular, we focus on the mechanically driven chromatin reorganization which governs a plethora of phenomenon, ranging from stem cell cultivation to the cancer metastatic cascade.

Relevant contributions and publications

F. Alisafaei, D. S. Jokhun, G. V. Shivashankar, V. B. Shenoy
Regulation of Nuclear Architecture, Mechanics and Nucleo-cytoplasmic Shuttling of Epigenetic Factors by Cell Geometric Constraints
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, 116(27): 13200-13209, 2019

S. J. Heo, S.Thakur, X. Chen, C. Loebel, B. Xia, R. McBeath, J. A. Burdick, V. B. Shenoy, R. L. Mauck, M. Lakadamyali
Aberrant chromatin reorganization in cells from diseased fibrous connective tissue in response to altered chemomechanical cues
NATURE BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING, 7, pages 177–191, 2023

C. C. Price, J. Mathur, J. D. Boerckel, A. Pathak, V. B. Shenoy
Dynamic Self-Reinforcement of Gene Expression Determines Acquisition and Retention of Cellular Mechanical Memory
BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL, VOLUME 120, ISSUE 22, P5074-5089, NOVEMBER 16, 2021