Faculty

Program affiliation
Molecular Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis

Research summary
Molecular biology of Sindbis virus; antiviral drug design; monocyte differentiation

Key words
RNA, virology, genome analysis, evolution, antiviral targeting

Program affiliation
Molecular Cell Biology
Neurosciences
Biochemistry Biophysics and Structural Biology

Research summary
Glutamate receptors, synaptic transmission and stem cell differentiation

Key words
stem cells, differentiation, synapse biology, receptor, ion channel

Program affiliation
Molecular Cell Biology
Developmental Regenerative and Stem Cell Biology

Research summary
Cilia functions in islet cell crosstalk, beta cells in diabetes, live-cell microscopy

Key words
islet, primary cilia, imaging

Program affiliation
Molecular Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis
Plant and Microbial Biosciences
Biochemistry Biophysics and Structural Biology
Molecular Cell Biology

Research summary
Interdisciplinary approach combining genetics, genomics, biochemistry, structural biology, high-resolution imaging, animal models, clinical studies and combinatorial chemistry to determine key aspects of bacterial pathogenesis and apply our knowledge to development of new therapeutics.

Key words
antibiotic-sparing therapeutics, host-pathogen interactions, bacterial pathogenesis, drug and vaccine development, multi-drug resistant E. coli, MRSA, Enterococcus, Acinetobacter, Klebsiella, urinary tract infections (UTI)

Program affiliation
Developmental Regenerative and Stem Cell Biology
Computational and Systems Biology

Research summary
Define cell hierarchies in kidney injury and repair and thereby identify the critical cell types in kidney repair and fibrosis

Key words
Stem cells, regenerative medicine, scRNA-seq, scATAC-seq, spatial transcriptomics, fibrosis, gene editing, iPS cells

Program affiliation
Molecular Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis

Research summary
Sex differences, virulence mechanisms, and novel therapeutics in E. coli urinary tract infection

Key words
bacterial pathogenesis, Escherichia coli, host-pathogen interactions, innate immunity, novel therapeutics, urinary tract infection, kidney, pyelonephritis, sex differences

Program affiliation
Molecular Genetics and Genomics

Research summary
Our lab is focused on developing new, minimally invasive tools for rapid and accurate diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases during the pre-symptomatic phases and predicting of outcomes during the acute phase of ischemic strokes.

Key words

Program affiliation
Developmental Regenerative and Stem Cell Biology
Neurosciences
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Molecular Cell Biology

Research summary
Understanding the molecular mechanism of aging and longevity in mammals

Key words
aging, longevity, hypothalamus, metabolism, NAD biosynthesis, Sirt1, NAMPT, NAD World

Program affiliation
Neurosciences
Biochemistry Biophysics and Structural Biology
Molecular Cell Biology
Developmental Regenerative and Stem Cell Biology

Research summary
Our research program integrates protein engineering and systems neuroscience to address previously inaccessible questions about brain function, particularly in the area of social behavior.

Key words
Social Behavior, Protein engineering, Optics, Neural dynamics, Genetically encoded optical tools

Program affiliation
Neurosciences
Developmental Regenerative and Stem Cell Biology
Molecular Cell Biology

Research summary
We aim to understand neural basis controlling behaviors in females across the lifespan

Key words
neurobiology, behavior, hormone, plasticity, maturation, aging, optogenetics, calcium imaging, and circuit tracing