Mechanobiology describes the study of how mechanical stimuli modulate the biological function and mechanical properties of cells and tissues, and conversely how the mechanical properties of biological materials govern their function, with broad implications in physiology and disease.

At Cornell University, mechanobiology research spans all length scales, from the cell and molecular level to tissues and organs, including traditional biomechanics at the tissue/organ level and biological responses at the cell/molecular level. Mechanobiology applications include organ development, heart and musculoskeletal diseases, and cancer metastasis. Accordingly, mechanobiology research groups are found across multiple colleges, departments, and graduate fields, such as the Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, the School of Integrative Plant Science, the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and the departments of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Biomedical Sciences, Materials Science and Engineering, Molecular Medicine, and Physics.  

Based within the Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, the Mechanobiology Hub aims to create an inclusive community that brings together faculty, students, and other researchers with a shared interest in mechanobiology to foster cross-disciplinary collaboration, knowledge exchange, and innovation to accelerate discovery.

The Hub’s Mission

> Connect Cornell’s mechanobiology community. Faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and staff are dispersed across departments and units; we aim to create a single, vibrant “home” where people can find each other, share ideas, and build relationships beyond traditional boundaries.

> Enable cross-scale synergies. Mechanobiology spans many spatial and temporal scales. We encourage collaborations that link, for instance, molecular biophysics to tissue mechanics, or cellular processes to organ-level functions, or that translate fundamental biology discoveries into clinical advances and applications.

> Promote shared technologies and expertise. Connect groups with different expertise and technologies to facilitate multidisciplinary research, access to a wider range of technologies, thus lowering barriers to entry and accelerating innovation and scientific advances.

> Support training, discovery, and visibility. The Hub provides a platform for early career investigators and established faculty to learn from one another and from experts in various areas of mechanobiology, stimulate new ideas and research directions, and to harness the synergies of the larger Cornell mechanobiology community to maximize its impact.

Engagement opportunities include a regular Mechanobiology Research Seminar series, bringing speakers from diverse subfields to Cornell, technology workshops, and a Summer Symposium to promote connection and collaboration by faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students. We hope to expand in the future towards other opportunities, including additional workshops, journal club discussions, mini-retreats, and seed-grant calls. Suggestions for activities and offers to participate in the planning are highly encouraged.