Michael SHEETZ
Founding Director and Collaborator, Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore
Affiliations
Professor, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, UTMB Health
What is actin nucleation?
What is actin nucleation? The first step in actin polymerization is known as ‘nucleation’. This step sees the formation of an actin nucleus, which is essentially a complex of three actin monomers, from which [...]
How are actin filaments distributed in cells and tissues?
How are actin filaments distributed in cells and tissues? Actin filaments are widely distributed throughout cells, forming a range of cytoskeletal structures and contributing to an even broader range of processes. Some of the [...]
Actin Crosslinking
Actin Crosslinking Crosslinking of actin filaments is a critical step in cell motility and is a fundamental process in filopodia protrusion and lamellipodia formation. Smaller cross-linking proteins that are more globular (e.g. fascin) [...]
What is the role of formin in actin polymerization?
What is the role of formin in actin polymerization? Formins promote the elongation of pre-existing filaments by removing barbed end capping proteins and forming a sleeve around the actin subunits. Formins are also capable [...]
What is the role of cortactin in actin polymerization?
What is the role of cortactin in actin polymerization? Cortactin is a class II nucleation promoting factor (NPF) that binds to actin filaments and influences their stability. Cortactin specifically stabilizes Arp2/3-mediated branch points along [...]
Michael Sheetz
Collaborator
Research Areas
Cell migration, cell-cell and cell-substrate interaction
Research Interests
The morphology of cells, organs and whole organisms is determined by the generation of forces on the immediate environment, which is either extracellular matrix or adjacent cells. We are currently engaged in studies to understand the detailed molecular mechanisms involved in a variety of phenomena from cancer metastasis to brain function. Further, we are developing several new tools and protocols for measuring cell forces at the molecular level, which are revealing many new aspects of how cells can both generate and respond to external forces. We have an effort underway to define quantitatively the steps involved in cell adhesion to and spreading on a matrix-coated surface. Using a variety of cell lines that are missing proteins in various motility pathways, we are determining the quantitative changes in the spreading process. This will enable us to generate a detailed model of the process of spreading that will be a model for further studies of how cells differentiate, regenerate tissues or metastasize.
Biography
Hailing from Columbia University, Prof Michael Sheetz has more than 40 years’ experience in the biomedical field. Introduced to Singapore by Prof Hew Choy Leong of the National University of Singapore’s Department of Biological Sciences, Prof Sheetz was sought to lead an RCE project. This resulted in a two-year effort to organise and submit a proposal on Mechanobiology where Prof Sheetz set the theme and direction of the Mechanobiology Institute (MBI). As Founding Director of the MBI, he led the institute for 10 years and built it into a world-leading research centre in the field of mechanobiology.
Education
PhD California Institute of Technology
Recent Publications
- Jain K, Kishan K, Minhaj RF, Kanchanawong P, Sheetz MP, and Changede R. Immobile Integrin Signaling Transit and Relay Nodes Organize Mechanosignaling through Force-Dependent Phosphorylation in Focal Adhesions. ACS Nano 2025;. [PMID: 39760672]
- Lin S, Changede R, Farrugia AJ, Bershadsky AD, Sheetz MP, Prost J, and Rupprecht J. Membrane Tilt Drives Phase Separation of Adhesion Receptors. Phys Rev Lett 2024; 132(18):188402. [PMID: 38759206]
- Jain K, Minhaj RF, Kanchanawong P, Sheetz MP, and Changede R. Nano-clusters of ligand-activated integrins organize immobile, signalling active, nano-clusters of phosphorylated FAK required for mechanosignaling in focal adhesions. bioRxiv 2024;. [PMID: 38464288]
- Jain K, Pandey A, Wang H, Chung T, Nemati A, Kanchanawong P, Sheetz MP, Cai H, and Changede R. TiO2 Nano-Biopatterning Reveals Optimal Ligand Presentation for Cell-Matrix Adhesion Formation. Adv Mater 2024;:e2309284. [PMID: 38340044]
- Jain K, Lim KYE, Sheetz MP, Kanchanawong P, and Changede R. Intrinsic self-organization of integrin nanoclusters within focal adhesions is required for cellular mechanotransduction. bioRxiv 2023;. [PMID: 38045378]
- Oh D, Liu X, Sheetz MP, and Kenney LJ. Small, Dynamic Clusters of Tir-Intimin Seed Actin Polymerization. Small 2023;:e2302580. [PMID: 37649226]
- Qin R, Melamed S, Yang B, Saxena M, Sheetz MP, and Wolfenson H. Tumor Suppressor DAPK1 Catalyzes Adhesion Assembly on Rigid but Anoikis on Soft Matrices. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:959521. [PMID: 35927990]
- Jain K, Kanchanawong P, Sheetz MP, Zhou X, Cai H, and Changede R. Ligand functionalization of titanium nanopattern enables the analysis of cell-ligand interactions by super-resolution microscopy. Nat Protoc 2022;. [PMID: 35896742]
- Toh PJY, Lai JKH, Hermann A, Destaing O, Sheetz MP, Sudol M, and Saunders TE. Optogenetic control of YAP cellular localisation and function. EMBO Rep 2022;:e54401. [PMID: 35876586]
- Oh D, Chen Z, Biswas KH, Bai F, Ong HT, Sheetz MP, and Groves JT. Competition for shared downstream signaling molecules establishes indirect negative feedback between EGFR and EphA2. Biophys J 2022;. [PMID: 35430415]
Lab Members
Ng Pei Ying
Research Fellow, Holle Group
Welcome aboard, Boon Heng!
The Chan Lab welcomes Boon Heng, the first PhD student to the lab. Looking forward to exciting times ahead!
Farewell to Nicole, our first summer intern in the Lab!
Congrats to Nicole for winning the best video presentation in the MBI MUST program. We are lucky to have you! Thank you for bringing so much energy and joy to the lab. Hope to see you soon!
2021 Cell & Tissue Hydraulics: Virtual interactive symposium
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN. The Cell & Tissue Hydraulics Mini-Symposium will present three days of pre-recorded lectures, live talks from invited speakers and pre-recorded short talks and poster presentations.
Spotlight on MBI Prof Low Boon Chuan: Unravelling the chemistry of life
A recent NUS News article features Assoc Prof Low, who leads a dynamic team at MBI focusing on how cells signal – the way they communicate with one another and within themselves.
2021 Bootcamp on Mechanobiology
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED.
The group is growing!
Warm welcome to the first members of Mammalian Development & Tissue Hydraulics Lab! Fantastic team that helps to build the lab despite the challenges during the pandemic… Kudos to all and looking forward to exciting times ahead!
Mechano-osmotic forces shape organoid morphogenesis
Super happy to contribute to this exciting work on the role of lumen/tissue mechanics in organoid development. Beautiful collaboration between biologists and physicists. Also nice views by C. Nelson.
Zihao Wu
Alumni, Chan Group
MBI PIs win MOE AcRF Tier 3 grant to study endomembrane aging
A research team led by Mechanobiology Institute (MBI) Principal Investigators Assoc. Prof. Tony Kanchanawong and Prof. Rong Li was recently awarded a Ministry of Education Academic Research Fund (MOE AcRF) Tier 3 grant.
Preventing mistakes in chromosomal segregation
A recent study from the Li Lab at the Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore and Johns Hopkins University, USA has revealed new aspects on the involvement of p53 protein in preventing mistakes in chromosomal segregation. Learn more
Jin Zhu
Senior Research Fellow, Facility Manager
