The BEAMS Lab focuses on the relationship between mechanical stresses on cells and their microenvironment. The use of laser tweezers is integral in evaluating and influencing the microenvironment of a cell.
As such, many projects associated with the BEAMS Lab involve the use of laser tweezers in capturing microparticles and using them as a means to assess local microenvironment mechanics and to induce forces onto a cell and its environment.