# Collaborative Research: Actin-mediated mechanical stress sensing and the control of epidermal tissue integrity

> **NSF 01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT** · Purdue University (IN) · $1,159,007

## Abstract

The sizes and shapes of leaves determine plant growth and function in both natural and agricultural environments.  At present we do not understand how strong mechanical forces in plant tissues (roots, leaves) simultaneously enable tissue growth and maintain physical connection between cells in tissue.  These knowledge gaps preclude rational engineering of plant tissues with desired architecture.  This project combines expertise from three different labs in the disciplines of plant biology, soft-matter physics, and computational mechanics.  The team will analyze the types of forces that are important, and how they are sensed by individual cell wall and cell signaling proteins within the cells.  Experiments on plant tissues will measure tissue mechanical properties to be used in computational mechanics simulations to determine how plant cells sense and respond to different types of forces in the cell wall during growth.  This project will also train the next generation of biologists and provide new ways to discover fundamental control mechanisms of plant growth and function.  This knowledge is needed to enable future strategies to engineer crops with specified architectures and material properties to maximize efficient production. 

The forces that drive growth in plants also create mechanical interactions between cells that destabilize connectivity.  At present, knowledge about the source, type, and sensing of these intercellular forces is lacking.  Adhesion between adjacent

## Key facts

- **NSF award ID:** 2452449
- **Awardee organization:** Purdue University (IN)
- **SAM.gov UEI:** YRXVL4JYCEF5
- **PI:** Daniel B Szymanski
- **Primary program:** 01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
- **All programs:** REU SUPP-Res Exp for Ugrd Supp, NANOSCALE BIO CORE
- **Estimated total:** $1,159,007
- **Funds obligated:** $1,159,007
- **Transaction type:** Standard Grant
- **Period:** 09/01/2025 → 08/31/2028

## Primary source

NSF Award Search: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2452449

## Citation

> US National Science Foundation, Award 2452449, Collaborative Research: Actin-mediated mechanical stress sensing and the control of epidermal tissue integrity. Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-07 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nsf/2452449. Licensed CC0.

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