Cells in the body are surrounded by a 3D environment where they interact with other cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM). The ECM is a tight meshwork of proteins that provides topographical, mechanical, and biochemical cues to cells. Cells sense these multiplexed cues through the interactions of thousands of molecular parts and, amazingly, transduce them into stable cell behaviors and functions. We are interested in identifying the key physical and molecular drivers of these emergent phenotypes. Through the development of 3D matrix engineering techniques, quantitative time dynamic imaging, biomechanical perturbations, and molecular engineering, the Fraley Lab is advancing cell biology research into the third dimension. 

The Fraley Lab is also part of the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance, where we take a multi-scale approach to understand the role of the extracellular matrix in the health-promoting adaptive response to exercise.

engineering collagen architechture

tuning MEchanics through degradability

Understanding Mechanotransduction Dynamics