Alexander Dunn

Professor Alexander Dunn leads the Dunn Research Group in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Stanford University. His research focuses on mechanobiology, exploring how cells sense and respond to mechanical forces in contexts such as stem cell differentiation, tissue engineering, and disease. Dunn is a tenured Professor, recognized with awards including the HHMI Faculty Scholar Award and NIH New Innovator Award.

• Education: PhD in Chemistry from Caltech (2003), Postdoc at Stanford School of Medicine with James Spudich.

Research Interests:

• Mechanical force sensing in cells (e.g., integrins, adhesion GPCRs)
• Planar Cell Polarity (PCP) signaling in development
• Engineering molecular tension sensors (e.g., STReTCh)
• Cryo-ET of heart cells and Z-disc dynamics
• Malaria binder design for diagnostics

Publications highlight innovations in force measurement technologies, cellular mechanotransduction, and disease models like cardiomyopathy. The Dunn Lab collaborates widely, with projects spanning biophysics, engineering, and medicine.

Scientific Awards:

• Hertz Fellowship
• Burroughs Wellcome Career Award
• NIH Director’s New Innovator Award
• HHMI Faculty Scholar Award

Advising & Lab: Supervises over 20 graduate students and postdocs, with alumni in academia and industry. The Dunn Lab hosts the Shriram Friday Seminar series to foster interdisciplinary collaboration.