中央研究院 Logo

Abstract

Unraveling the connection between mechanical properties and biological function requires probing systems across vast length scales, from single bonds to whole cells. In this seminar, I will discuss how atomic force microscopy (AFM) can be utilized to decode the thermodynamic and mechanochemical states of complex systems. At the single-molecule level, we resolve the energy landscapes governing the folding and assembly of multimeric proteins and DNA. To benchmark these biological behaviors, we employ graphene nanoribbons as synthetic polymer analogs, allowing for a comparative analysis of force response and equilibrium dynamics. Extending these principles to the cellular scale, we utilize single-cell force spectroscopy to identify distinct nanomechanical signatures associated with pathological states. By quantifying the viscoelastic and adhesive differences in cancer cells, we demonstrate that mechanical phenotyping serves as a robust physical biomarker. This talk will highlight how force spectroscopy provides a unified framework for resolving the physical state of matter in both molecular biology and cancer physics.