Seungman Park (Mechanical Engineering) and Lina R. Nih (Brain Health) have co-authored an article titled “Cellular Viscous Properties in Senescence: An Emerging Biophysical Perspective and Potential Biomarker,” published in the scientific journal Ageing Research Reviews. The publication is the result of an interdisciplinary collaboration with Dr. Jeong Hee Kim from Iowa State University, bringing together expertise in mechanical engineering, biophysics, cellular biology, and neuroscience.
The article explores how changes in the physical properties of cells, particularly their viscosity, may provide new insights into biological aging. Cellular viscosity describes how easily the internal components of a cell flow and reorganize, much like the difference between water and honey. As cells age, these properties can change, potentially offering a new way to identify cellular senescence, a process in which cells permanently stop dividing and undergo changes associated with aging and age-related diseases. While traditional approaches have primarily relied on molecular and genetic markers, the researchers highlight the potential of cellular viscosity as an additional biomarker for detecting and characterizing aging cells. This emerging perspective could advance our understanding of brain aging and neurological disorders while opening new avenues for monitoring cellular health and evaluating potential therapies for age-related conditions.
This collaboration illustrates the value of interdisciplinary research in advancing our understanding of complex biological processes. By integrating engineering-based approaches with cellular and neurological research, the investigators aim to contribute to the development of innovative tools for studying aging and its implications for human health.
