Dorit Hanein

Research Overview

My lab studies how the tiny machines inside our cells—called biological nanomachines—change with age and disease. We focus on how cells sense and respond to mechanical forces in their environment, a process known as mechanotransduction. This process is essential for healthy cell function but becomes disrupted as we age.

As tissues grow older, they often become stiffer. This stiffness can confuse the way cells communicate with each other and with their surroundings, contributing to chronic inflammation and a decline in how well tissues function. These changes are linked to age-related conditions such as neurodegenerative diseases and chronic pain.

To better understand these complex processes, we use advanced imaging tools. These include live-cell imaging to watch cells in real time and cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) to take detailed snapshots of cells at the molecular level—frozen in action and preserved in their natural state.

Our goal is to connect what we see in living cells with what we observe in high-resolution snapshots, giving us a clearer picture of how aging changes cells and tissues over time. By combining these techniques, we hope to uncover new insights into the biology of aging and help guide the development of treatments for chronic conditions that affect millions of people worldwide.