Physics Colloquium – Jorge Alegre-Cebollada

Titin-based Molecular Underpinnings of Skeletal and Cardiac Muscle Function

Jorge Alegre-Cebollada, PhD
Associate Professor & Group Leader, CNIC (Spanish National Center for Cardiovascular Research)

Titin is the largest protein in the human body. The function of the protein is not any smaller: it is critical for the contractile activity of muscles in the skeletal system and in the heart. In my presentation, I will introduce fundamental concepts that link titin nanomechanics with the macroscopic mechanical function of muscle. I will focus on our recent data demonstrating dysregulation of titin nanomechanics that can contribute to increased risk of heart failure in diabetic patients.

Towards the end of my presentation, I will describe how to harness titin mechanics to develop hydrogels with tailored viscoelasticity for applications in cell mechanobiology. Time permitting, I will discuss about new models to study titin mechanics in living matter.