On the afternoon of 28th April, 2018, the Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC) held monthly seminar in the Room 308, School of Life Sciences and Technology. Two Ph.D. student Meng Wang and Birui Jin shared their scientific reports.

Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) are stable and no auto-fluorescence. Aptamers are cheap, easy-systhesis and easy-modify. With these characteristics, Ph.D student Birui Jin combined UCNPs and aptamers as probes and developed a competitive format lateral flow aptamer assay. With these assays, he achieved the detection of biotoxin, metal ions and bacteria in real water samples with high sensitivity. Moreover, he takes his life as an example, and suggested that everyone should alternate work with rest, communicate more with others to releases the pressure. To face their own research and life with a better attitude.

The interaction between cell and the cellular mechanical microenvironment is complex and dynamic, the mechanical property of extracellular matrix is crucial for the proliferation, EMT transition and the migration of cancer cell. Instead of focusing on the cell spreading area which have been studied in 2D cellular mechanotransduction, Ph.D student Meng Wang  investigated the cell volume for its role in cellular mechanosensation, found that the volume of cell cultured on hydrogel substrate could be regulated by manipulating the stiffness of hydrogel substrate, and the chloride channel take a role in the cell volume regulation. The interaction between cell volume and extracellular matrix also has an effect on the migration ability of cancer cell, the cancer cell migration was found to be influenced by manipulating cell volume on/in 2D substrate, 3D microchannel and transwell insert.

Their brilliant reports inspired audience the idea of interdisciplinary field and how to view a problem in a novelty way. Look forward to more excellent work from them.