Prof. Dr. Rudolf Merkel

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At the microscopic level the correct working
of our organism vitally depends on chemical
and physical signals. It was shown recently that signals of mechanical nature result in
very profound effects on animal cells. Here,
concepts and techniques from physics are
profoundly changing the understanding of
biological phenomena. We have developed
methods to apply defined mechanical stimuli to cells and quantify their mechanical responses and activity. Using such techniques
we, and others, are approaching the principles underlying the intricate interplay of cells and forces.

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Institute of Complex Systems, Jülich
Hörsaal 3
Contact: not specified