The central mission of the Reinhart-King lab is to understand chemical and mechanical changes within tumor tissue promote cancer progression and metastasis. Specifically, we focus on cues within the extracellular environment drive fundamental cellular processes including cell-matrix adhesion, cell-cell adhesion and cell migration. We employ multidisciplinary methodologies involving principles from cell biology, biophysics, biomaterials and biomechanics. Of particular interest are the pathophysiology of tumor angiogenesis and the extracellular cues driving metastatic cell migration.

We use a multi-scale approach to understand how cells integrate physical and chemical cues within their environment. At the tissue level, we characterize the structural, mechanical and compositional changes occurring in tissues during disease progression using advanced imaging techniques, mechanical measurements, histology, and biochemical assays. We use this knowledge to build models of healthy and diseased tissues using tissue engineering approaches and microfabrication. At the cellular level, we use these models to understand how physical and chemical features within the extracellular matrix alter cell behaviors such as adhesion, migration and proliferation. At the molecular level, we use various cellular and molecular biology tools to uncover the intracellular pathways being affected by the microenvironment. This multi-scale, integrated approach has the power to uncover novel therapeutic targets to slow and/or prevent metastasis.