Matthew Kutys, PhD
Assistant Professor
Cell and Tissue Biology
School of Dentistry

To do so, we develop microfluidic, biomimetic human tissue models that recapitulate 3D in vivo architectures, microenvironments, cellular heterogeneity, and morphogenic behaviors that can be examined mechanistically by biochemical and cell biological approaches. Combined with advanced microscopy, cellular and molecular engineering, and 'omic' technologies, our multidisciplinary approach allows us to model, control, and dissect complex multicellular behaviors at a level previously only accessible in vivo. ​Our lab broadly investigates how biochemical and mechanical signals at cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix adhesions are coordinated across biological scales (molecules to cells to tissues) to maintain normal tissue structure or drive pathology.

• 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 2023 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
• 'Chip'-ing away at morphogenesis - application of organ-on-chip technologies to study tissue morphogenesis.
  Journal of cell science 2023 White MJ, Singh T, Wang E, Smith Q, Kutys ML
• A convolutional neural network STIFMap reveals associations between stromal stiffness and EMT in breast cancer.
  Nature communications 2023 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 2023 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, …
• Microphysiological model of PIK3CA-driven vascular malformations reveals a role of dysregulated Rac1 and mTORC1/2 in lesion formation.
  Science advances 2023 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 2023 White MJ, Jacobs KA, Singh T, Kutys ML
• Adherens junctions organize size-selective proteolytic hotspots critical for Notch signalling.
  Nature cell biology 2022 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, …
• Conversation before crossing: dissecting metastatic tumor-vascular interactions in microphysiological systems.
  American journal of physiology. Cell physiology 2022 Mayo LN, Kutys ML
• 3D mesenchymal cell migration is driven by anterior cellular contraction that generates an extracellular matrix prestrain.
  Developmental cell 2021 Doyle AD, Sykora DJ, Pacheco GG, Kutys ML, Yamada KM
• Uncovering mutation-specific morphogenic phenotypes and paracrine-mediated vessel dysfunction in a biomimetic vascularized mammary duct platform.
  Nature communications 2020 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 2019 Polacheck WJ, Kutys ML, Tefft JB, Chen CS
• Extracellular matrix alignment dictates the organization of focal adhesions and directs uniaxial cell migration.
  APL bioengineering 2018 Wang WY, Pearson AT, Kutys ML, Choi CK, Wozniak MA, Baker BM, Chen CS
• Force Generation via β-Cardiac Myosin, Titin, and α-Actinin Drives Cardiac Sarcomere Assembly from Cell-Matrix Adhesions.
  Developmental cell 2018 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 2017 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 2016 Kutys ML, Chen CS
• Rho GEFs and GAPs: emerging integrators of extracellular matrix signaling.
  Small GTPases 2015 Kutys ML, Yamada KM
• An extracellular-matrix-specific GEF-GAP interaction regulates Rho GTPase crosstalk for 3D collagen migration.
  Nature cell biology 2014 Kutys ML, Yamada KM
• Dimensions in cell migration.
  Current opinion in cell biology 2013 Doyle AD, Petrie RJ, Kutys ML, Yamada KM
• Regulation of cell adhesion and migration by cell-derived matrices.
  Experimental cell research 2013 Kutys ML, Doyle AD, Yamada KM
• Ubiquitylation of phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate 5-kinase type I γ by HECTD1 regulates focal adhesion dynamics and cell migration.
  Journal of cell science 2013 Li X, Zhou Q, Sunkara M, Kutys ML, Wu Z, Rychahou P, Morris AJ, Zhu H, Evers BM, Huang C
• Micro-environmental control of cell migration--myosin IIA is required for efficient migration in fibrillar environments through control of cell adhesion dynamics.
  Journal of cell science 2012 Doyle AD, Kutys ML, Conti MA, Matsumoto K, Adelstein RS, Yamada KM
• Monte Carlo analysis of neck linker extension in kinesin molecular motors.
  PLoS computational biology 2010 Kutys ML, Fricks J, Hancock WO