Promotionsvortrag Physik: „On Single-Sugar Resolution Imaging, Glycocalyx Mechanobiology, and Light-Based Therapeutics“

Ankündigung des Promotionsvortrags von Herrn Karim Almahayni:

We live in a world shaped by what we can see, feel, and manipulate—yet the true machinery of life operates at scales far beyond our senses. We cannot see the sugar molecules coating a cell’s surface or precisely distinguish and target individual cells within a uniform population. Yet modern biology demands exactly this level of resolution. In my PhD research, I bridge this gap through three core light-based biophysical approaches:

First, I achieve the first direct visualization of individual sugar molecules on cell surfaces at Ång-ström resolution by combining metabolic labelling with advanced super-resolution microscopy. This reveals nanoscale patterns in the glycocalyx—a dense, sugar-rich layer on the cell membrane that regulates immune recognition, cell signaling, and mechanotransduction.

Second, I profile the mechanical properties of thousands of individual cells using real-time deform-ability cytometry, demonstrating how alterations in glycocalyx architecture affect cellular mechan-ics. Third, I develop a photochemical platform that enables precise, light-controlled induction of cell death in targeted cells without harming surrounding cells.

Together, these approaches advance our ability to see, sense, and control life at the nanoscale, offering new insights into cellular heterogeneity, disease progression, and opportunities for preci-sion therapies..

(Vortrag auf Englisch)

Dem Vortrag schließt sich eine Diskussion von 15 Minuten an. Vortrag und Diskussion sind öffentlich. Diesen Verfahrensteilen folgt ein nicht öffentliches Rigorosum von 45 Minuten.