Engineered ECMs to Study Obesity-induced Dynamic Changes of Metabolism

Project Investigator: Claudia Fischbach (Cornell University)

Collaborator: Joerg Lahann (University of Michigan, PSOP)

This transnetwork proposal will leverage the synergistic expertise of our interdisciplinary team in obesityassociated ECM remodeling and mechanosignaling (Fischbach), engineering of extracellular matrix (eECM) scaffolds (Lahann), and imaging of metabolic activity and mechanosignaling (Luker) to address the overall hypothesis that obesity-associated ECM remodeling activates mechanosignaling through YAP/TAZ, reprogramming metabolism of mammary epithelial cells in association with the transition to a stem-like phenotype.