WELCOME TO THE GURMESSA LAB!

The Gurmessa Lab investigates the mechanics and structural dynamics of cytoskeletal polymer networks to uncover the fundamental relationships between cellular structure, dynamics, and function. Cells, whether single or part of multicellular organisms, remain in constant motion—some migrating over long distances, others dynamically reshaping and reorganizing while remaining largely stationary. Our research aims to understand the mechanisms driving these diverse behaviors through in-vitro reconstituted cytoskeletal protein networks by utilizing cutting-edge tools in spectroscopy and fluorescence imaging techniques, including optical trapping and laser scanning confocal microscopy,  and microrheology.