Superresolution and correlative microscopy to study cell adhesion on nanopatterned substrates

As cells adhere to surfaces, they form focal adhesions which link the cells mechanically to their surroundings but also provide important signalling too. With the invention of superresolution microscopy it has become possible to study the proteins involved in these adhesions at a molecular level. The improvement in detail is typically 10 times with a resolution of about 20 nm. At the same time semiconductor technologies have made it possible to control patterns with a precision similar to the size of the proteins. This opens up the possibilities to potentially manipulate the adhesions at a molecular level. These interactions can be visualised with a combination of superresolution and scanning electron microscopy, known as correlative microscopy. This project will use advanced microscopy and genetically engineered cells to investigate the adhesion formation on a range of nanopatterned surfaces. The aim will be to correlate the formation of the focal adhesions with the design parameters with a view to produce engineered materials for regenerative medicine.