The award from the National Institutes of Health will support development of new methods to target precision medications.

Monroe Martin Professor Garegin Papoian, Distinguished University Professor Christopher Jarzynski and Carlos Floyd (Ph.D. ’21, biophysics) published a paper in the October 4, 2021, issue of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

They developed computer simulations that reveal that cell "cytoquakes" are caused by the slow buildup and sudden release of mechanical energy within the cell. The researchers believe the quakes may help the cell respond rapidly to signals from the outside environment, like chemicals produced by other cells or hormones in the bloodstream.