Matthew Kutys, PhD

Assistant Professor
Cell and Tissue Biology
[email protected]
+1 415 502-2247
The Kutys Lab spans disciplinary boundaries between cell biology and engineering to answer fundamental questions in tissue morphogenesis and mechanobiology. We develop and apply biomimetic human tissue models, along with cellular and molecular technologies, to identify mechanisms across biological scales that govern cell-tissue structure and function. We aim to use these discoveries to inform the selection of candidate therapies and the design of next gen preclinical models for human cancer and cardiovascular disease. Current research thrusts include the role of Notch1 in multicellular mechanobiology and tumor suppression, chemo-mechanical signaling at adherens junctions during morphogenesis, and microfluidic human organoid platforms for developmental modeling.
Publications: 

Doublecortin reinforces microtubules to promote growth cone advance in soft environments.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology

Dema A, Charafeddine RA, van Haren J, Rahgozar S, Viola G, Jacobs KA, Kutys ML, Wittmann T

Notch1 cortical signaling regulates epithelial architecture and cell-cell adhesion.

The Journal of cell biology

White MJ, Jacobs KA, Singh T, Mayo LN, Lin A, Chen CS, Jun YW, Kutys ML

A 3D biomimetic model of lymphatics reveals cell-cell junction tightening and lymphedema via a cytokine-induced ROCK2/JAM-A complex.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

Lee E, Chan SL, Lee Y, Polacheck WJ, Kwak S, Wen A, Nguyen DT, Kutys ML, Alimperti S, Kolarzyk AM, Kwak TJ, Eyckmans J, Bielenberg DR, Chen H, Chen CS

A convolutional neural network STIFMap reveals associations between stromal stiffness and EMT in breast cancer.

Nature communications

Stashko C, Hayward MK, Northey JJ, Pearson N, Ironside AJ, Lakins JN, Oria R, Goyette MA, Mayo L, Russnes HG, Hwang ES, Kutys ML, Polyak K, Weaver VM

Modeling collective cell behavior in cancer: Perspectives from an interdisciplinary conversation.

Cell systems

Adler FR, Anderson ARA, Bhushan A, Bogdan P, Bravo-Cordero JJ, Brock A, Chen Y, Cukierman E, DelGiorno KE, Denis GV, Ferrall-Fairbanks MC, Gartner ZJ, Germain RN, Gordon DM, Hunter G, Jolly MK, Karacosta LG, Mythreye K, Katira P, Kulkarni RP, Kutys ML, Lander AD, Laughney AM, Levine H, Lou E, Lowenstein PR, Masters KS, Pe'er D, Peyton SR, Platt MO, Purvis JE, Quon G, Richer JK, Riddle NC, Rodriguez A, Snyder JC, Lee Szeto G, Tomlin CJ, Yanai I, Zervantonakis IK, Dueck H

Microphysiological model of PIK3CA-driven vascular malformations reveals a role of dysregulated Rac1 and mTORC1/2 in lesion formation.

Science advances

Aw WY, Cho C, Wang H, Cooper AH, Doherty EL, Rocco D, Huang SA, Kubik S, Whitworth CP, Armstrong R, Hickey AJ, Griffith B, Kutys ML, Blatt J, Polacheck WJ

Notch1 cortical signaling regulates epithelial architecture and cell-cell adhesion.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology

White MJ, Jacobs KA, Singh T, Kutys ML

Adherens junctions organize size-selective proteolytic hotspots critical for Notch signalling.

Nature cell biology

Kwak M, Southard KM, Kim WR, Lin A, Kim NH, Gopalappa R, Lee HJ, An M, Choi SH, Jung Y, Noh K, Farlow J, Georgakopoulos A, Robakis NK, Kang MK, Kutys ML, Seo D, Kim HH, Kim YH, Cheon J, Gartner ZJ, Jun YW

Uncovering mutation-specific morphogenic phenotypes and paracrine-mediated vessel dysfunction in a biomimetic vascularized mammary duct platform.

Nature communications

Kutys ML, Polacheck WJ, Welch MK, Gagnon KA, Koorman T, Kim S, Li L, McClatchey AI, Chen CS

Microfabricated blood vessels for modeling the vascular transport barrier.

Nature protocols

Polacheck WJ, Kutys ML, Tefft JB, Chen CS

Extracellular matrix alignment dictates the organization of focal adhesions and directs uniaxial cell migration.

APL bioengineering

Wang WY, Pearson AT, Kutys ML, Choi CK, Wozniak MA, Baker BM, Chen CS

Force Generation via ß-Cardiac Myosin, Titin, and a-Actinin Drives Cardiac Sarcomere Assembly from Cell-Matrix Adhesions.

Developmental cell

Chopra A, Kutys ML, Zhang K, Polacheck WJ, Sheng CC, Luu RJ, Eyckmans J, Hinson JT, Seidman JG, Seidman CE, Chen CS

A non-canonical Notch complex regulates adherens junctions and vascular barrier function.

Nature

Polacheck WJ, Kutys ML, Yang J, Eyckmans J, Wu Y, Vasavada H, Hirschi KK, Chen CS

Forces and mechanotransduction in 3D vascular biology.

Current opinion in cell biology

Kutys ML, Chen CS

Dimensions in cell migration.

Current opinion in cell biology

Doyle AD, Petrie RJ, Kutys ML, Yamada KM

Regulation of cell adhesion and migration by cell-derived matrices.

Experimental cell research

Kutys ML, Doyle AD, Yamada KM

Ubiquitylation of phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate 5-kinase type I ? by HECTD1 regulates focal adhesion dynamics and cell migration.

Journal of cell science

Li X, Zhou Q, Sunkara M, Kutys ML, Wu Z, Rychahou P, Morris AJ, Zhu H, Evers BM, Huang C

Monte Carlo analysis of neck linker extension in kinesin molecular motors.

PLoS computational biology

Kutys ML, Fricks J, Hancock WO