Dr. Sander's laboratory studies the mechanobiology of connective tissues and the importance of physical forces on tissue homeostasis, remodeling, and disease. The lab’s primary focus has been on the role of mechanobiological processes in wound healing, fibrosis, and scar formation, including in contracted elbow and knee joints. To investigate these processes, his lab conducts in vitro experiments in 3D biomimetic culture systems that permit live cell imaging and physical and biochemical manipulation of the cellular environment. The lab  also employs genomic tools, such as RNA-seq and spatial transcriptomics, along with proteomics to characterize changes in the transcriptome and extracellular matrix composition. The lab then devises ways to apply these findings to the development of new therapies that are then tested in various animal models.

Editor-in-Chief-Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering