Project Summary We are requesting a Research Supplement to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research to complement the parent R01 grant (R01 EB03003) entitled ‘Development of a mechanosensitive synthetic cell for mediating intercellular communication’. The supplement funds are proposed to support Nadab Wubshet, who is a fourth year Ph.D. student in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan. Nadab has the potential to contribute significantly to the overarching goal of the parent grant that seeks to develop mechanosensitive synthetic cells that can sense and respond to shear stress and secrete bioactive molecules to communicate with natural living cells. Nadab is enthusiastic about contributing to the diversity of the University through the various outreach/mentoring activities he participates in. As a black American, Nadab is underrepresented in PhD programs at the University of Michigan. His success will be a catalyst for other black Americans to pursue advanced degrees and academic research. Having grown up in Ethiopia, his perspective will be valuable in an academic environment and will enrich our community. We have developed a plan together for his research and career development as a scientist during this support period and beyond. Since Nadab comes from a mathematics and mechanical engineering background without having done research in biology prior to his PhD, we have put in place several training activities that will continue to deepen his technical knowledge and skills that together will help Nadab become an independent researcher. Nadab will have an opportunity to present at a local meeting as well as at a national conference. Nadab will investigate the effect of cortical actin on mechanosensitive synthetic cell gating and how actin cortex influences the margination of synthetic cells in flow. He has a great interest in microfluidics and has been studying lipid bilayer vesicles with reconstituted actin networks for the past two years. He is eager to extend his work towards the objectives of the R01 EB03003 project and is excited to make a contribution.