cell biology

Crystal Rogers

Crystal Rogers

  • Assistant Professor
  • Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Cell Biology
  • School of Veterinary Medicine
Crystal Rogers examines how genetic and environmental changes affect early developmental processes in vertebrate embryos. Specifically, her lab studies embryos from two research organisms, chickens and amphibians, to identify the factors that are necessary and sufficient to drive the formation and differentiation of neural crest cells. Rogers and her students seek to understand the normal mechanisms that control the development of these cells and also to understand how environmental exposures can negatively affect development causing disorders such as cleft palate, peripheral nerve defects, albinism, and others.
Dan Starr

Daniel Starr

  • Professor
  • Allen Distinguished Investigator
  • Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology
  • College of Biological Sciences
Daniel Starr and his lab study processes involved in the positioning of nuclei and other organelles to specific locations within a cell. They use the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism, with genetic, biochemical, cellular, and molecular approaches to study this basic problem in cell biology and human disease.
Benjamin Montpetit

Benjamin Montpetit

  • Professor
  • Department of Viticulture and Enology
  • College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences
Benjamin Montpetit studies nuclear RNA export with the goal of describing how components of the nuclear pore complex (NPC) direct and regulate mRNA and viral RNA transport at a cellular, molecular and atomic level. Ultimately, this will allow us to better understand the interplay between nuclear RNA export, gene expression, and human biology.
Richard McKenney

Richard McKenney

  • Assistant Professor
  • Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology
  • College of Biological Sciences
Richard McKenney is interested in the fascinating world of molecular movement. His lab studies how cells internally organize using molecular motor proteins. In particular, they focus on the microtubule cytoskeleton and the motor proteins that use this filament system for transport (kinesins and dyneins). They are interested in allosteric regulation of motor protein movement, how motor activity is balanced and coordinated, and how dysfunction in motor activity leads to human diseases such as cancer and neurodegeneration. The lab combines advanced molecular biology, biochemistry and single-molecule TIRF microscopy to address these problems
Aldrin Gomes

Aldrin Gomes

  • Professor
  • Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior
  • College of Biological Sciences
  • Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology
  • School of Medicine
Impaired protein degradation is associated with many cardiac and skeletal muscle diseases. Our laboratory is interested in investigating the signaling pathways involved in proteostasis (protein homeostasis) in cardiac and skeletal muscle diseases. Our laboratory is also interested in the side effects of commonly used drugs, such as ibuprofen, on the heart and other tissues.
David Furlow

David Furlow

  • Professor
  • Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior
  • College of Biological Sciences
David Furlow studes the molecular basis of hormone action, particularly during development. Analysis of gene expression programs during morphogenesis. Genome editing in model organisms, particularly applied to nuclear hormone receptor function.
JoAnne Engebrecht

JoAnne Engebrecht

  • Professor
  • Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology
  • College of Biological Sciences
JoAnne Engebrecht investigates molecular mechanisms underlying germline biology. Germ cells are essential for the propagation of all sexually reproducing organisms.  Germline stem cell divisions, meiotic differentiation and gametogenesis must be tightly coupled to ensure the formation of viable progeny; perturbations result in infertility, inviability and birth defects.
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