David J. Odde

Abstract Despite recent experimental progress characterizing the mechanics of cell migration, our understanding of the mechanisms governing how cells move rapidly through the body remains limited. To effectively limit the growth of tumors, antitumoral T cells need to rapidly migrate to find and kill cancer cells.

Abstract Many cell types, including transformed cells and immune cells, such as T cells, can produce protrusive, blister-like plasma membrane patches initially devoid of F-actin, called blebs. Despite recent progress in understanding the amoeboid-mesenchymal migration phenotype balance, it remains largely unknown how bleb-producing cells mechanically move through complex environments and what factors set their migration speed and directionality.

Abstract Glioblastoma (GBM) is an aggressive malignant brain tumor with 2-year survival rates of 6.7%. One key characteristic of the disease is the ability of glioblastoma cells to migrate rapidly and spread throughout healthy brain tissue. To develop treatments that effectively target cell migration, it is important to understand the fundamental mechanism driving cell migration in brain tissue.