Directory of Experts
Details for Dr Mark Bass
| Personal details | |
| Name | Dr Mark Bass |
| Job title | Research Fellow |
| Department | School of Biochemistry University of Bristol |
| Contact details | This expert can be contacted via the University of Bristol Public Relations
Office. To help us deal with your request, please mention the Directory of Experts when contacting the Public Relations Office. work+44 (0)117 928 7777 email: public-relations@bristol.ac.uk |
| Qualifications | BSc, MRes, PhD(Leic) |
| Professional details | |
| Keywords | cell migration skin fibroblasts healing processes cytoskeleton endocytosis Rho-family GTPases Extracellular matrix receptors |
| Areas of expertise | In healthy adults, cell adhesion is tightly regulated and migration of most cell types is limited, unless stimulated by infection or wounding. Initiation of migration depends upon recognition of changes in the protein environment by individual cells. I am interested in molecules that detect matrix markers of tissue damage and result in cell mobilisation. The interaction of cells with fresh matrix causes membrane protrusion, formation of new cell adhesions and disassembly by endocytosis of existing attachment points; each of these must occur in a polarised fashion. Initiation and suppression of cell migration are equally important; failure in the former would result in healing defects, failure of the latter would result in tumour formation. Therefore I use cell-based biochemical and imaging techniques to examine the temporal and spatial regulation of migration signals, thus resolving the molecular mechanism of intrinsic repair mechanisms. |