Research Description

The Conway research group is focused on developing and applying novel biosensor-based approaches to study mechanobiology by measuring mechanical tension across structural proteins. My lab has been applying this force measurement approach to resolve the mechanical forces across tight junctions, adherens junctions, and desmosomes, primarily in the context of epithelial cell-cell adhesions. An additional focus of my lab is also understanding how mechanical forces are transduced onto and across the nuclear envelope, focusing on the nuclear LINC complex, the nuclear lamina, and the nuclear pore complex. We also are interested in better understanding the mechanical role of intermediate filaments (keratin and vimentin).