Professor Dr Marileen Dogterom

Research Priorities: Biophysics, cell structures, cytoskeleton, biomechanical forces, synthetic cells

Marileen Dogterom is a Dutch biophysicist whose research focuses on the self-organisation and the mechanical properties of the cytoskeleton. Her aim is to achieve a quantitative understanding of the underlying principles of cells’ inner organisation, and to use this knowledge for the long-term goal of the bottom-up construction of synthetic cells.

A particular focus of her research is on microtubules – dynamic protein filaments which, as part of the cytoskeleton, perform essential functions relating to cell division and shape as well as to intracellular transport. While the organisation of the mitotic spindle apparatus, which distributes chromosomes equally among daughter cells during cell division, has been well described, knowledge of the molecular mechanisms that lead to the formation of stable microtubules is still fragmentary. Marileen Dogterom’s research addresses precisely this area.

As far back as the 1990s, she developed in-vitro models that permitted the observation of microtubule polymerisation under certain conditions. By combining high-resolution flourescent microscopy, physical modelling, and the measuring of forces using optical tweezers, she managed to precisely quantify the mechanical properties of growing microtubules. It became apparent that microtubules act not only as structural elements, but also as mechano-sensors. They create recoil forces at cell borders, influence the direction of their own growth and thus play a key role in the self-organisation of the cytoskeleton.

Another focus concerns the reconstruction of cellular structures from defined molecular components. Her working group managed to reconstitute mitotic spindles in a tiny space in artificial compartments. These reconstitution experiments delivered new insights into how cell space geometry influences the self-organisation of dynamic microtubule structures. At the same time, they lay the groundwork for Marileen Dogterom’s current research into minimal systems for DNA segregation in synthetic cells, i.e. the targeted distribution of genetic material over artificially created daughter cells.

In addition, she and her team research the interaction of microtubules with actin filaments, an additional central component of the cytoskeleton which is involved in, for example, cell movement, form, and division. She is particularly interested in the topology and dynamism of cellular networks, as well as their structural organisation, for example in epithelial cells, neurons, or during embryo development. She places a special focus on cell polarity and on how it arises by means of cytoskeletal processes, including under minimal conditions.

For several years now, the biophysicist has been involved in the Dutch consortium BaSyC (Building a Synthetic Cell) for the development of artificial cells that imitate biological functions such as cell division, DNA replication, energy management, and information processing. The primary focus of this research is on light-controllable DNA segregation systems based on cytoskeleton components. This research not only creates new possibilities for applications in materials science, but also provides profound insights into the physical foundations of living systems.

Marileen Dogterom’s research combines an experimental approach with theoretical models from the fields of statistical physics and systems biology. Her work at the interface of physics, biology, and nanotechnology has played a significant role in today’s understanding of the question of how mechanical forces regulate cellular processes and how cells dynamically adapt their inner architecture.