Purpose and Background of the Research


Yoshihiro Ujihara
Department of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology
Outline of the Research
“Resilience” is defined in this research area as the reserve capacity of cells against various stresses. We conduct academic transformational research to create “Resilience biology” to quantify cellular resilience and clarify its physiological significance. For example, the heart adapts to hemodynamic loads (stress), such as blood pressure, by optimizing its structure and function. The resilience of the heart is supported by the resilience of the cardiomyocytes responsible for beating the heart. Until now, it has been thought that cellular transformation (remodeling) after stimulus reception, such as the activation of transcription factors, is important for flexible stress responses. However, our research focusing on membrane lipids and mechanosensitive channels revealed that the flexible behavior of animals and tissues is supported by the dynamics of hotspots (critical membrane sites) before stimulus reception. In this research area, we aim to clarify the nature of the critical membrane site by quantifying the dynamic instability of the cytoskeleton, focal adhesions, lipids, and ionic environments at the molecular level and by evaluating the mechanisms by which the critical membrane site controls cellular resilience in adaptation to environmental stimuli.