Gunes Uzer

Bio

Dr. Gunes Uzer is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering at Boise State University. Dr. Uzer’s studies have covered a broad range of topics, including advanced material characterization, experimental photometry, finite element modeling, as well as cell and animal models. Since 2016, he is the director of the Mechanical Adaptations
Laboratory leading a multidisciplinary research program on the nuclear mechanobiology.

Studies in Mechanical Adaptations Laboratory are directed towards understanding how changes in tissue mechanical environment in relation to exercise, injury, aging and disuse regulate structural adaptations in cells cytoskeleton and nucleus to control signaling and eventually fate decisions in stem cells.

Courses Taught

• ME 112 Introduction to Biomedical Engineering
• ME 303 Solid Mechanics II
• ME 310 Experimental Methods Laboratory
• ME 477/577 Biomaterials
• ME 602 Mechanobiology

Education

• B.S, Physics, Celal Bayar University, Turkey, 2005
• M.S, Mechanical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 2008
• Ph.D, Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 2013
• Postdoc, Medical School, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 2016

Research

Research in Mechanical Adaptations Laboratory employs both molecular biology and engineering principles to experimental and computational approaches with a goal of understanding how mechanical forces regulate cell structure and function.

Current Projects:

Nuclear Envelope Mechanobiology: Focusing on the nucleo-cytoskeletal connectivity provided by LINC complexes, we investigate how physical activity and external mechanical signals regulate the stem cell mechanosignaling during aging. This study is funded by NIH.

Mechanical Regulation of Nuclear Mechanics and Gene Expression: By utilizing computational methods and optical metrology, we quantify how external mechanical signals regulate nuclear structure and gene expression in live cells. This study is funded by NSF.

Bone Marrow Analogs and Microgravity: We examine how decreases in age-associated bone volume contribute to decreased osteogenic capacity of stem cells in a bone marrow analog tissue under mechanical challenge. Microgravity conditions of International Space Station is used simulate the aging process of stem cells and permit direct analysis of biomechanics in real-time. This study is funded by AR3T, NIH, NSF, ISS and NASA.

Publications

• Goelzer M, Howard S, Zavala A, Conway D, Rubin J, Van Wijnen A., Uzer G. Depletion of Sun1/2 induces heterochromatin accrual in mesenchymal stem cells during adipogenesis. [preprint]. 2023 April. doi: doi.org/10.1101/2022.02.15.480528.
• Enrriques AE, Howard S, Timsina R, Khadka NK, Hoover AN, Ray AE, Ding L, Onwumelu C, Nordeng S, Mainali L, Uzer G, Davis PH. Atomic Force Microscopy Cantilever-Based Nanoindentation: Mechanical Property Measurements at the Nanoscale in Air and Fluid. J Vis Exp. 2022 Dec 2;(190). doi: 10.3791/64497. PMID: 36533832.
• Rubin J, van Wijnen AJ, Uzer G. Architectural control of mesenchymal stem cell phenotype through nuclear actin. Nucleus. 2022 Dec;13(1):35-48. doi: 10.1080/19491034.2022.2029297. PubMed PMID: 35133922; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8837231.
• Sen B, Xie Z, Howard S, Styner M, van Wijnen AJ, Uzer G, Rubin J. Mechanically Induced Nuclear Shuttling of β-Catenin Requires Co-transfer of Actin. Stem Cells. 2022 Apr 29;40(4):423-434. doi: 10.1093/stmcls/sxac006. PubMed PMID:
  35278073; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9633329.
• Kennedy Z, Newberg J, Goelzer M, Judex S, Fitzpatrick CK, Uzer G. Modeling stem cell nucleus mechanics using confocal microscopy. Biomech Model Mechanobiol. 2021 Dec;20(6):2361-2372. doi: 10.1007/s10237-021-01513-w. Epub
  2021 Aug 23. PubMed PMID: 34424419; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8599651.
• Goelzer M, Goelzer J, Ferguson ML, Neu CP, Uzer G. Nuclear envelope mechanobiology: linking the nuclear structure and function. Nucleus. 2021 Dec;12(1):90-114. doi: 10.1080/19491034.2021.1962610. Review. PubMed PMID: 34455929; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8432354.
• Birks S, Uzer G. At the nuclear envelope of bone mechanobiology. Bone. 2021 Oct;151:116023. doi: 10.1016/j.bone.2021.116023. Epub 2021 May 26. Review. PubMed PMID: 34051417; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8600447.
• Goelzer M, Dudakovic A, Olcum M, Sen B, Ozcivici E, Rubin J, van Wijnen AJ, Uzer G. Lamin A/C Is Dispensable to Mechanical Repression of Adipogenesis. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Jun 19;22(12). doi: 10.3390/ijms22126580. PubMed PMID: 34205295; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8234021.
• Thompson M, Woods K, Newberg J, Oxford JT, Uzer G. Low-intensity vibration restores nuclear YAP levels and acute YAP nuclear shuttling in mesenchymal stem cells subjected to simulated microgravity. NPJ Microgravity. 2020 Dec 1;6(1):35. doi: 10.1038/s41526-020-00125-5. PubMed PMID: 33298964; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7708987.
• Yi X, Wright LE, Pagnotti GM, Uzer G, Powell KM, Wallace JM, Sankar U, Rubin CT, Mohammad K, Guise TA, Thompson WR. Mechanical suppression of breast cancer cell invasion and paracrine signaling to osteoclasts requires nucleo-cytoskeletal connectivity. Bone Res. 2020 Nov 17;8(1):40. doi: 10.1038/s41413-020-00111-3. PubMed PMID: 33298883; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7673025.
• Newberg J, Schimpf J, Woods K, Loisate S, Davis PH, Uzer G. Isolated nuclei stiffen in response to low intensity vibration. J Biomech. 2020 Oct 9;111:110012. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2020.110012. Epub 2020 Aug 28. PubMed PMID: 32932075; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7590198.
• Bas G, Loisate S, Hudon SF, Woods K, Hayden EJ, Pu X, Beard R, Oxford JT, Uzer G. Low Intensity Vibrations Augment Mesenchymal Stem Cell Proliferation and Differentiation Capacity during in vitro Expansion. Sci Rep. 2020 Jun 10;10(1):9369. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-66055-0. PubMed PMID: 32523117; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7286897.
• Sen B, Paradise CR, Xie Z, Sankaran J, Uzer G, Styner M, Meyer M, Dudakovic A, van Wijnen AJ, Rubin J. β-Catenin Preserves the Stem State of Murine Bone Marrow Stromal Cells Through Activation of EZH2. J Bone Miner Res. 2020 Jun;35(6):1149-1162. doi: 10.1002/jbmr.3975. Epub 2020 Feb 24. PubMed PMID: 32022326; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7295671.
• Oxford JT, Cornell KA, Romero JJ, Smith DB, Yarnell TL, Wood RM, Jorcyk CL, Lujan TJ, Albig AR, Mitchell KA, McDougal OM, Fologea D, Estrada D, Tinker JK, Nagarajan R, Warner DL, Rohn TT, Browning J, Beard RS Jr, Warner LR, Morrison BE, Fitzpatrick CK, Uzer G, Bond L, Frahs SM, Keller-Peck C, Pu X, Woodbury LG, Turner MW. Center of Biomedical Research Excellence in Matrix Biology: Building Research Infrastructure, Supporting Young Researchers, and Fostering Collaboration. Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Mar 20;21(6). doi: 10.3390/ijms21062141. PubMed PMID: 32244989; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7139617.
• Sankaran JS, Sen B, Dudakovic A, Paradise CR, Perdue T, Xie Z, McGrath C, Styner M, Newberg J, Uzer G, van Wijnen AJ, Rubin J. Knockdown of formin mDia2 alters lamin B1 levels and increases osteogenesis in stem cells. Stem Cells. 2020 Jan;38(1):102-117. doi: 10.1002/stem.3098. Epub 2019 Nov 6. PubMed PMID: 31648392; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6993926.
• Goelzer M, Thompson WR, Uzer G. Cells as strain gages and load cells.. In: Niebur G, editor. Mechanobiology [Internet] 1 ed. Biochemistry & Biophysics: Elsevier; 2020. Chapter 2.1; p.79-98. 236p. Available from: https://www.elsevier.com/books/mechanobiology/niebur/978-0-12-817931-4.
• Sankaran J, Uzer G, van Wijnen AJ, Rubin J. Gene regulation through dynamic actin control of nuclear structure. Exp Biol Med (Maywood). 2019 Nov;244(15):1345-1353. doi: 10.1177/1535370219850079. Epub 2019 May 13. Review. PubMed PMID: 31084213; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6880144.
• Pagnotti GM, Styner M, Uzer G, Patel VS, Wright LE, Ness KK, Guise TA, Rubin J, Rubin CT. Combating osteoporosis and obesity with exercise: leveraging cell mechanosensitivity. Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2019 Jun;15(6):339-355. doi: 10.1038/s41574-019-0170-1. Review. PubMed PMID: 30814687; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6520125.
• Touchstone H, Bryd R, Loisate S, Thompson M, Kim S, Puranam K, Senthilnathan AN, Pu X, Beard R, Rubin J, Alwood J, Oxford JT, Uzer G. Recovery of stem cell proliferation by low intensity vibration under simulated microgravity requires LINC complex. NPJ Microgravity. 2019;5:11. doi: 10.1038/s41526-019-0072-5. eCollection 2019. PubMed PMID: 31123701; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6520402.
• Uzer G, Bas G, Sen B, Xie Z, Birks S, Olcum M, McGrath C, Styner M, Rubin J. Sun-mediated mechanical LINC between nucleus and cytoskeleton regulates βcatenin nuclear access. J Biomech. 2018 Jun 6;74:32-40. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2018.04.013. Epub 2018 Apr 12. PubMed PMID: 29691054; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5962429.
• Graham DM, Andersen T, Sharek L, Uzer G, Rothenberg K, Hoffman BD, Rubin J, Balland M, Bear JE, Burridge K. Enucleated cells reveal differential roles of the nucleus in cell migration, polarity, and mechanotransduction. J Cell Biol. 2018 Mar 5;217(3):895-914. doi: 10.1083/jcb.201706097. Epub 2018 Jan 19. PubMed PMID: 29351995; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5839789.
• Thompson WR, Yen SS, Uzer G, Xie Z, Sen B, Styner M, Burridge K, Rubin J. LARG GEF and ARHGAP18 orchestrate RhoA activity to control mesenchymal stem cell lineage. Bone. 2018 Feb;107:172-180. doi: 10.1016/j.bone.2017.12.001. Epub 2017 Dec 5. PubMed PMID: 29208526; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5743610.
• Rubin J, Styner M, Uzer G. Physical Signals May Affect Mesenchymal Stem Cell Differentiation via Epigenetic Controls. Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 2018 Jan;46(1):42-47. doi: 10.1249/JES.0000000000000129. Review. PubMed PMID: 28795956; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5735017.
• Styner M, Pagnotti GM, McGrath C, Wu X, Sen B, Uzer G, Xie Z, Zong X, Styner MA, Rubin CT, Rubin J. Exercise Decreases Marrow Adipose Tissue Through ß-Oxidation in Obese Running Mice. J Bone Miner Res. 2017 Aug;32(8):1692-1702. doi: 10.1002/jbmr.3159. Epub 2017 May 4. PubMed PMID: 28436105; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5550355.
• Sen B, Uzer G, Samsonraj RM, Xie Z, McGrath C, Styner M, Dudakovic A, van Wijnen AJ, Rubin J. Intranuclear Actin Structure Modulates Mesenchymal Stem Cell Differentiation. Stem Cells. 2017 Jun;35(6):1624-1635. doi: 10.1002/stem.2617. Epub 2017 Apr 3. PubMed PMID: 28371128; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5534840.
• Pongkitwitoon S, Uzer G, Rubin J, Judex S. Cytoskeletal Configuration Modulates Mechanically Induced Changes in Mesenchymal Stem Cell Osteogenesis, Morphology, and Stiffness. Sci Rep. 2016 Oct 6;6:34791. doi: 10.1038/srep34791. PubMed PMID: 27708389; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5052530.
• Morton TL, Galior K, McGrath C, Wu X, Uzer G, Uzer GB, Sen B, Xie Z, Tyson D, Rubin J, Styner M. Exercise Increases and Browns Muscle Lipid in High-Fat Diet-Fed Mice. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2016;7:80. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2016.00080. eCollection 2016. PubMed PMID: 27445983; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4928595.
• Uzer G, Fuchs RK, Rubin J, Thompson WR. Concise Review: Plasma and Nuclear Membranes Convey Mechanical Information to Regulate Mesenchymal Stem Cell Lineage. Stem Cells. 2016 Jun;34(6):1455-63. doi: 10.1002/stem.2342. Epub 2016 Mar 14. Review. PubMed PMID: 26891206; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5546909.
• Uzer G, Rubin CT, Rubin J. Cell Mechanosensitivity is Enabled by the LINC Nuclear Complex. Curr Mol Biol Rep. 2016 Mar;2(1):36-47. doi: 10.1007/s40610-016-0032-8. Epub 2016 Feb 1. PubMed PMID: 27326387; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4912015.
• Sen B, Xie Z, Uzer G, Thompson WR, Styner M, Wu X, Rubin J. Intranuclear Actin Regulates Osteogenesis. Stem Cells. 2015 Oct;33(10):3065-76. doi: 10.1002/stem.2090. PubMed PMID: 26140478; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4788101.
• Styner M, Pagnotti GM, Galior K, Wu X, Thompson WR, Uzer G, Sen B, Xie Z, Horowitz MC, Styner MA, Rubin C, Rubin J. Exercise Regulation of Marrow Fat in the Setting of PPARγ Agonist Treatment in Female C57BL/6 Mice. Endocrinology. 2015 Aug;156(8):2753-61. doi: 10.1210/en.2015-1213. Epub 2015 Jun 8. PubMed PMID: 26052898; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4511140.
• Thompson WR, Uzer G, Brobst KE, Xie Z, Sen B, Yen SS, Styner M, Rubin J. Osteocyte specific responses to soluble and mechanical stimuli in a stem cell derived culture model. Sci Rep. 2015 Jun 9;5:11049. doi: 10.1038/srep11049. PubMed PMID: 26056071; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4460727.
• Uzer G, Thompson WR, Sen B, Xie Z, Yen SS, Miller S, Bas G, Styner M, Rubin CT, Judex S, Burridge K, Rubin J. Cell Mechanosensitivity to Extremely Low-Magnitude Signals Is Enabled by a LINCed Nucleus. Stem Cells. 2015 Jun;33(6):2063-76. doi: 10.1002/stem.2004. PubMed PMID: 25787126; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4458857.
• Styner M, Thompson WR, Galior K, Uzer G, Wu X, Kadari S, Case N, Xie Z, Sen B, Romaine A, Pagnotti GM, Rubin CT, Styner MA, Horowitz MC, Rubin J. Bone marrow fat accumulation accelerated by high fat diet is suppressed by exercise. Bone. 2014 Jul;64:39-46. doi: 10.1016/j.bone.2014.03.044. Epub 2014 Apr 5. PubMed PMID: 24709686; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4041820.
• Uzer G, Pongkitwitoon S, Ian C, Thompson WR, Rubin J, Chan ME, Judex S. Gap junctional communication in osteocytes is amplified by low intensity vibrations in vitro. PLoS One. 2014;9(3):e90840. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0090840. eCollection 2014. PubMed PMID: 24614887; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3948700.
• Sen B, Xie Z, Case N, Thompson WR, Uzer G, Styner M, Rubin J. mTORC2 regulates mechanically induced cytoskeletal reorganization and lineage selection in marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells. J Bone Miner Res. 2014 Jan;29(1):78-89. doi: 10.1002/jbmr.2031. PubMed PMID: 23821483; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3870029.
• Thompson WR, Guilluy C, Xie Z, Sen B, Brobst KE, Yen SS, Uzer G, Styner M, Case N, Burridge K, Rubin J. Mechanically activated Fyn utilizes mTORC2 to regulate RhoA and adipogenesis in mesenchymal stem cells. Stem Cells. 2013 Nov;31(11):2528-37. doi: 10.1002/stem.1476. PubMed PMID: 23836527; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4040149.
• Uzer G, Pongkitwitoon S, Ete Chan M, Judex S. Vibration induced osteogenic commitment of mesenchymal stem cells is enhanced by cytoskeletal remodeling but not fluid shear. J Biomech. 2013 Sep 3;46(13):2296-302. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2013.06.008. Epub 2013 Jul 17. PubMed PMID: 23870506; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3777744.
• Chan ME, Uzer G, Rubin CT. The potential benefits and inherent risks of vibration as a non-drug therapy for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. Curr Osteoporos Rep. 2013 Mar;11(1):36-44. doi: 10.1007/s11914-012-0132-1. PubMed PMID: 23371467; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3586310.
• Uzer G, Manske SL, Chan ME, Chiang FP, Rubin CT, Frame MD, Judex S. Separating Fluid Shear Stress from Acceleration during Vibrations in Vitro: Identification of Mechanical Signals Modulating the Cellular Response. Cell Mol Bioeng. 2012 Sep 1;5(3):266-276. doi: 10.1007/s12195-012-0231-1. Epub 2012 May 9. PubMed PMID: 23074384; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3466610.
• Gupta S, Vijayaraghavan S, Uzer G, Judex S. Multiple exposures to unloading decrease bone’s responsivity but compound skeletal losses in C57BL/6 mice. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2012 Jul 15;303(2):R159-67. doi: 10.1152/ajpregu.00499.2011. Epub 2012 May 16. PubMed PMID: 22592559; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3404633.
• Holguin N, Uzer G, Chiang FP, Rubin C, Judex S. Brief daily exposure to low-intensity vibration mitigates the degradation of the intervertebral disc in a frequency-specific manner. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2011 Dec;111(6):1846-53. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00846.2011. Epub 2011 Sep 29. PubMed PMID: 21960658; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3233878.
• Uzer G, Chiang F, Krukenkamp IB. Measuring Shape and Surface Strain of 3D Objects Using Digital Speckle Photography. Strain. 2008; 45(5):409.
• Uzer G, Chiang F. Mapping Full Field Deformation of Auxetic Foams using Digital Speckle Photography. Physica Status Solidi B. 2008; 245(11):2391.