Our mission at the Guck division is to drive a paradigm shift in biology, moving away from a focus on molecular chemistry towards investigating emergent physical phenomena at cellular scales. To achieve this, we develop and apply advanced tools to understand cells as physical objects. Ultimately, we aspire to translate any insights gained into medical applications. Our current research topics include the use of high-throughput physical phenotyping of cells for improved disease understanding, and the quantitative mapping of physical properties at sub-cellular resolution with advanced biophotonic techniques.

For more information, please visit our Research page.

Feeling for cell function: Our toolbox for physical measurements of biological materials

Our laboratory has developed and uses a diverse array of biophysical techniques aimed at characterizing both the optical and mechanical properties of biological samples and complex fluids. Among these techniques, we conduct deformation experiments on cells utilizing Deformability Cytometry (DC) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). For assessing viscoelastic properties in vivo, we employ Brillouin Microscopy (BM) as an optomechanical technique. We use Optical Diffraction Tomography (ODT) to map the refractive index and mass density in biological samples at sub-cellular resolution. Moreover, we utilize hydrogel beads with precisely controlled stiffness to calibrate our devices and measure the forces exerted by tissues.
You can find more information on our Methods page.