{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/120989"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/120989","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Controlling Curvature and Stiffness in Fibrous Environments Uncovers Force-Driven Processes and Phenotypes","abstract":"In recent decades science has become an increasingly multidisciplinary field in which the lines that used to divide starkly different fields have blurred or disappeared completely. This work is a compendium of different angles focused at exploring disease progression of cancer biology through the perspective of mechanical engineering. We explore cancer through a holistic approach considering mechanistic, physical, genetic biology, biochemical, and immune cells to explore how the interplay with fiber networks can expand our understanding. We explored the physical interplay with biological processes of fibroblastic cells and show how these are critically regulated by forces that alter their ability to coil depends on fiber curvature and adhesion strength; thus, showing how cellular processes are driven by the balances of mechanical forces. Conversely, not all cell types are driven by the same factors, where we report that the structural features of migratory DCs enable them to be less influenced by the differences in fiber diameters, contrasting drastically what we previously reported on the other cell lines. Finally developing a novel composite nanofiber platform, we reported how some cancer cells are mechanistically influenced by the architecture of a substrate and thus resulting in completely different migratory responses that we have associated with key regulatory genes and responding completely differently when in the presence of clinically relevant molecular therapies. Overall, we investigated cancer biology through stiffness gradients, geometric influence through biophysics on myoblasts, and immune cell migration forces as a strong indicator of cell behavior.","abstract_html":"In recent decades science has become an increasingly multidisciplinary field in which the lines that used to divide starkly different fields have blurred or disappeared completely. This work is a compendium of different angles focused at exploring disease progression of cancer biology through the perspective of mechanical engineering. We explore cancer through a holistic approach considering mechanistic, physical, genetic biology, biochemical, and immune cells to explore how the interplay with fiber networks can expand our understanding. We explored the physical interplay with biological processes of fibroblastic cells and show how these are critically regulated by forces that alter their ability to coil depends on fiber curvature and adhesion strength; thus, showing how cellular processes are driven by the balances of mechanical forces. Conversely, not all cell types are driven by the same factors, where we report that the structural features of migratory DCs enable them to be less influenced by the differences in fiber diameters, contrasting drastically what we previously reported on the other cell lines. Finally developing a novel composite nanofiber platform, we reported how some cancer cells are mechanistically influenced by the architecture of a substrate and thus resulting in completely different migratory responses that we have associated with key regulatory genes and responding completely differently when in the presence of clinically relevant molecular therapies. Overall, we investigated cancer biology through stiffness gradients, geometric influence through biophysics on myoblasts, and immune cell migration forces as a strong indicator of cell behavior.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Hernandez Padilla, Christian"],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Master of Science","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Mechanical Engineering","degree_department":"Mechanical Engineering","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Nain, Amrinder"],"committee_members":["Shroff, Hari","Kale, Sohan","Paul, Mark R.","Franco, Aime"],"year":2024,"date_issued":"2024-08-22","date_published":"2024-08-22","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:19:35Z","subjects":["mechanobiology","extracellular matrix","stiffness","curvature"],"languages":["en"],"rights":["Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International"],"rights_urls":["http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:41328"],"render_values":[{"text":"vt_gsexam:41328","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/10919/120989","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Nain, Amrinder"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Shroff, Hari","Kale, Sohan","Paul, Mark R.","Franco, Aime"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Mechanical Engineering"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Hernandez Padilla, Christian"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2024-08-23T08:00:14Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2024-08-23T08:00:14Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2024-08-22"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Tech"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Mechanical Engineering"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["mechanobiology","extracellular matrix","stiffness","curvature"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:41328"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/10919/120989"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["In recent decades science has become an increasingly multidisciplinary field in which the lines that used to divide starkly different fields have blurred or disappeared completely. This work is a compendium of different angles focused at exploring disease progression of cancer biology through the perspective of mechanical engineering. We explore cancer through a holistic approach considering mechanistic, physical, genetic biology, biochemical, and immune cells to explore how the interplay with fiber networks can expand our understanding. We explored the physical interplay with biological processes of fibroblastic cells and show how these are critically regulated by forces that alter their ability to coil depends on fiber curvature and adhesion strength; thus, showing how cellular processes are driven by the balances of mechanical forces. Conversely, not all cell types are driven by the same factors, where we report that the structural features of migratory DCs enable them to be less influenced by the differences in fiber diameters, contrasting drastically what we previously reported on the other cell lines. Finally developing a novel composite nanofiber platform, we reported how some cancer cells are mechanistically influenced by the architecture of a substrate and thus resulting in completely different migratory responses that we have associated with key regulatory genes and responding completely differently when in the presence of clinically relevant molecular therapies. Overall, we investigated cancer biology through stiffness gradients, geometric influence through biophysics on myoblasts, and immune cell migration forces as a strong indicator of cell behavior."]},{"key":"dc:description.abstractgeneral","label":"General Abstract","values":["Biology has historically been studied through chemistry and genetics, an approach that has produced incredible scientific discoveries such as vaccines and various therapies. Similarly, mechanical engineering has taken us to corners of the world that we never thought possible through the creation of machines, vehicles and the creation of new metal alloys. This research work is part of an emergent field of collaborative science which is paving the way to new ideas and the development of compound fields such as mechanobiology. Here we investigate how cells migrate through small rope-like environments that imitate the same fibers our cells can encounter in the body. We control the thickness, the arrangement, the orientation and the strength of these ropes to investigate how cells react to these environments, thus reporting on the new behaviors cells adopts in these conditions as well as their potential medical implications. Overall, we have developed new methods of studying cancer and other types of cells by tackling new questions using a mechanical perspective."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"dc:format.medium","label":"Dc Format Medium","values":["ETD"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Controlling Curvature and Stiffness in Fibrous Environments Uncovers Force-Driven Processes and Phenotypes"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Nain, Amrinder"],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Shroff, Hari","Kale, Sohan","Paul, Mark R.","Franco, Aime"],"dc:contributor.department":["Mechanical Engineering"],"dc:creator":["Hernandez Padilla, Christian"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2024-08-23T08:00:14Z"],"dc:date.available":["2024-08-23T08:00:14Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2024-08-22"],"dc:description.abstract":["In recent decades science has become an increasingly multidisciplinary field in which the lines that used to divide starkly different fields have blurred or disappeared completely. This work is a compendium of different angles focused at exploring disease progression of cancer biology through the perspective of mechanical engineering. We explore cancer through a holistic approach considering mechanistic, physical, genetic biology, biochemical, and immune cells to explore how the interplay with fiber networks can expand our understanding. We explored the physical interplay with biological processes of fibroblastic cells and show how these are critically regulated by forces that alter their ability to coil depends on fiber curvature and adhesion strength; thus, showing how cellular processes are driven by the balances of mechanical forces. Conversely, not all cell types are driven by the same factors, where we report that the structural features of migratory DCs enable them to be less influenced by the differences in fiber diameters, contrasting drastically what we previously reported on the other cell lines. Finally developing a novel composite nanofiber platform, we reported how some cancer cells are mechanistically influenced by the architecture of a substrate and thus resulting in completely different migratory responses that we have associated with key regulatory genes and responding completely differently when in the presence of clinically relevant molecular therapies. Overall, we investigated cancer biology through stiffness gradients, geometric influence through biophysics on myoblasts, and immune cell migration forces as a strong indicator of cell behavior."],"dc:description.abstractgeneral":["Biology has historically been studied through chemistry and genetics, an approach that has produced incredible scientific discoveries such as vaccines and various therapies. Similarly, mechanical engineering has taken us to corners of the world that we never thought possible through the creation of machines, vehicles and the creation of new metal alloys. This research work is part of an emergent field of collaborative science which is paving the way to new ideas and the development of compound fields such as mechanobiology. Here we investigate how cells migrate through small rope-like environments that imitate the same fibers our cells can encounter in the body. We control the thickness, the arrangement, the orientation and the strength of these ropes to investigate how cells react to these environments, thus reporting on the new behaviors cells adopts in these conditions as well as their potential medical implications. Overall, we have developed new methods of studying cancer and other types of cells by tackling new questions using a mechanical perspective."],"dc:description.degree":["Master of Science"],"dc:format.medium":["ETD"],"dc:identifier.other":["vt_gsexam:41328"],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://hdl.handle.net/10919/120989"],"dc:language.iso":["en"],"dc:publisher":["Virginia Tech"],"dc:rights":["Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International"],"dc:rights.uri":["http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"],"dc:subject":["mechanobiology","extracellular matrix","stiffness","curvature"],"dc:title":["Controlling Curvature and Stiffness in Fibrous Environments Uncovers Force-Driven Processes and Phenotypes"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Mechanical Engineering"],"thesis:degree_level":["masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science"],"thesis:institution_name":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:19:35Z"}