Description of Research:
My group is currently studying the structure, function, regulation, and evolution of a family of mechanosensitive ion channels related to the bacterial channel MscS, using live-imaging, single-channel patch clamp electrophysiology, and complementary biochemical and molecular genetic approaches. We are also engaged in functional and genetic screens designed to identify novel mechanosensory proteins, and in the development of new tools for the non-invasive analysis of membrane forces in plants and select pathogens. These studies promise novel insight into the strategies used by both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells to sense mechanical stimuli.