Dr. Yu Li Wang

Biography

Yu-li Wang's work experience spans basic science, medicine, and engineering, allowing him to communicate with an unusually wide range of professionals. His major contributions include the development of live cell imaging using fluorescently tagged proteins in the 1970s, elucidation of the frontal extension mechanism in cell migration during the 1980s, and the development of elastic polyacrylamide substrates for cellular mechanical studies, including traction force microscopy in the 1990s. He has demonstrated equatorial signals that trigger cell division and discovered that cellular sensitivities to material rigidity affect preferential cellular migration towards rigid materials in the 2000s. His studies have been foundational, with key principles being described in textbooks. He has published over 120 papers, including four that have received over 500 citations each. Yu-li Wang’s research group focuses on cellular mechanical activities, which serve as the foundation for a wide range of health-related applications in tissue engineering and cancer treatment. He is particularly interested in how cells use mechanical means to probe their environment, respond to physical stimuli, and communicate to propel migration. Recent studies have demonstrated the sensitivity of adhesive cells to the dimensionality of their environment and the importance of their shape during migration.

Research Interests

Awards