Colloquium Series: Julie Theriot (University of Washington)

Join us for another event in the 2019-2020 Colloquium Series as APS welcomes Julie Theriot, PhD. to present on her recent research. Dr. Theriot is currently a Professor at the University of Washington, Department of Biology. Julie’s research focuses on how interactions at the molecular level determine cell behavior, in particular, how cells change their shape or direction of movement. Julie has received numerous awards for her work including fellowships from both the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. She has also been recognized for her exceptional teaching. She has also received multiple teaching awards and gave 2019 Keith R. Porter lecture at the ASCB|EMBO Meeting.  Julie is a coauthor of the textbook “Physical Biology of the Cell.” You can find more about Julie’s work in here: https://sites.uw.edu/theriotlab/.

Title: Cooperation, Competition and Conviction in Decision-Making for Motile Cells

Abstract: 

Directed crawling motility of animal cell types ranging from neurons to macrophages requires the coordinated force-generating activity of multiple mechanical elements. Much molecular detail is now known about the constituents of some mechanical submachines such as the polymerizing actin network and the adhesion complexes, but it is not yet clear how these elements all work together to generate coherent, directed motion at the level of the whole cell. Human neutrophils are very fast-moving cells that seek out and destroy microbial invaders. These cells must make rapid directional decisions as they move through complex tissues with varying physical barriers and constraints, while maintaining front-rear polarity to move persistently. Using a combination of experimental perturbation and computational modeling, we are attempting to understand how these cells coordinate their force-generating machines to make directional decisions in complex environments.