HUH Seminar - Siobhan A. Braybrook

Date: 

Tuesday, March 27, 2018, 12:00pm to 1:00pm

Location: 

22 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, Seminar Room 125

Siobhan A. Braybrook, Professor
Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology at UCLA

Topic: Life in a Box: Growing shapes in plants and algae

Abstract: 
In multi-cellular walled organisms, the growth of shape and form requires the modification of two physical parameters: the material properties of the cell wall and/or the amount of turgor pressure within the cell. Work in our research group focuses on the balance between these two parameters, with most of our work centering on cell wall mechanics. We have been particularly interested in methods for quantifying shape, and the kinetics of shape growth, and relating shape growth to changes in cell wall biochemistry and biomechanics. Towards this end, we develop methods to test cell wall mechanical properties as they relate to biochemistry in cell walls and cell wall mimics. We have been utilising pectin and alginate gels for these analyses- with an aim at relating our data to changes during development. In this seminar, I will present some of our most recent data on cell shape quantification, mechanical measurement techniques, and the development of the model brown algae- Fucus.

Host Lab: Kramer