The Pruitt lab seeks to understand the role of mechanics in biology and force sensitive pathways in cell-cell adhesion, subcellular organization, cell signaling, and function. Active mechanobiology research in the lab focuses on the role of mechanical environment on the structure and function of stem cell derived cardiomyocytes as biophysical models of health and disease and how cell-cell and cell-ECM adhesions sense and propagate force into collective behaviors in epithelia. Our research in cell biomechanics and mechanobiology includes the development and application of custom microfabricated sensors and systems, new diagnostic tools, and image/video analysis workflows. Our research team values a collaborative and inclusive environment, work-life balance, and rigor and ethics in how we do and share excellent science. 

Our group meetings are scheduled for Wednesdays, 3:30-5:00pm in BioE 3001.

Interested in joining the lab?  We are always looking for exceptional students who want to make a difference!  Undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in our research should contact Prof. Pruitt.

Funding Sources (Active & Past): AHA Collaborative Sciences Award, AHA postdoctoral fellowship, National Science Foundation CMMI 1662431, EFRI-MIKS 1136790, EFRI-CBE 073555, CAREER ECS-0449400), NSF GRFP Fellowships, NIH F31 and F32, NSF Centers CPN and COINS, DARPA YFA 1136790, NRT DGE-2125644. National Institutes of Health R21HL1309930, F31 NS100318, R33 HL089027, RC1 HL099117, R01 EB006745, RO1 HL061535, RM1GM131981, UG3TR002588, T32GM141846. California Institute for Regenerative Medicine CIRM RC1-00151-1, UCSB Chancellor's and Departmental Fellowships, Stanford: BioX, CIS and OTL seed grants, Stanford Bio-X, Stanford Graduate Fellowships and  Stanford DARE Doctoral Fellowships, Stanford NGI/PG&E, Stanford Energy 3.0, Stanford CVI T32, Stanford ChEM-H