Michael J Greenberg, PhD

Description of Research:

Our lab is interested in understanding molecular motors and their role in mechanobiology. Currently, the lab is studying mutations in contractile proteins that cause familial cardiomyopathies, the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in people under 30 years old. The lab uses an array of biochemical, biophysical, cell biological, and engineering techniques to decipher how these mutations affect the mechanobiology of heart contraction across scales from the level of single molecules to the level of engineered tissues. We then use computational modeling to link these scales. For our molecular studies, we have developed an optical trap with fast feedback to study the contractility of single molecules. For our cellular and tissue-level studies, we use genetic and tissue engineering to develop human stem cell-based models of the disease. Insights gleaned from our studies will guide efforts to develop novel therapies.