Molecular Cell Biology

Program affiliation
Molecular Cell Biology
Human and Statistical Genetics

Research summary
Skeletal mechanobiology; bone strength; osteoporosis; bone fracture, repair & regeneration

Key words
bone mechanics, bone biology, injury, mechanotransduction, mouse models, osteoporosis

Program affiliation
Cancer Biology
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Molecular Cell Biology

Research summary
Long non-coding RNAs and RNA modifications in cancer metastasis and aggressive disease

Key words
Cancer metastasis, multiple myeloma, breast cancer, long non-coding RNAs, RNA modifications, genomics, advanced sequencing, epitranscriptomics

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

Research summary
The cellular response to life threatening human diseases.

Key words
serpins, cell death, lysosomes, necrotizing enterocolitis, C. elegans, proteases, protein misfolding, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, drug discovery

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

Research summary
Understand how epigenetic mechanisms and chromatin dynamics contribute towards the development of cancer.

Key words
Epigenetics, chromatin, cancer, mouse models, lymphoma, melanoma, EZH2, PRC2, H3K27me3

Program affiliation
Cancer Biology
Molecular Cell Biology
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Biochemistry Biophysics and Structural Biology

Research summary
Examining the role the tumor microenvironment plays in immune modulation, tumor development, metastasis and dormancy

Key words
aging, cancer, microenvironment, RNAi, senescence, telomere

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

Research summary
The Stratman lab is broadly interested in how blood vessels form and stabilize during development, and how changes in these processes affect tissue homeostasis and disease.

Key words
mechanobiology, vascular, endothelial cell, blood flow

Program affiliation
Cancer Biology
Molecular Cell Biology
Biochemistry Biophysics and Structural Biology

Research summary
Identify and define those molecular features that drive leukemogenesis and then use that information to develop rational therapeutic strategies for improving outcomes in acute leukemia

Key words
leukemia, metabolism, therapy resistance, stem cells

Program affiliation
Immunology
Molecular Cell Biology
Molecular Genetics and Genomics

Research summary
We investigate how the immune system maintains balance during healthy homeostasis, and when this balance is thrown off, how the dysregulated activities of the same immune cells cause immune diseases such as asthma, allergy and autoimmunity. We focus on type 2 lymphocytes, namely ILC2s and Th2 cells, and apply high-throughput CRISPR screens to identify novel regulators of type 2 immune responses. We are a multidisciplinary laboratory combining molecular, in vitro and in vivo approaches to understand the underlying mechanisms of immune cell function in homeostasis and allergic diseases. By advancing our basic understanding of how immune cells develop and function, we aim to develop novel approaches to restoring immune balance and promoting tissue and organismal health.

Key words
type 2 immunity, innate lymphoid cells, ILC2, Th2, allergy, asthma, CRISPR screen, computational, transcriptomic, epigenetic, tissue immunity, mucosal immunity, neuroimmune

Program affiliation
Cancer Biology
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Immunology
Molecular Cell Biology
Neurosciences

Research summary
Cancer-Stroma interactions in metastasis

Key words
cancer metastasis; tumor microenvironment, cancer immunology, CRISPR screen, quantitative biology

Program affiliation
Biochemistry Biophysics and Structural Biology
Molecular Cell Biology

Research summary
Structure-activity relationships in UV mutagenesis; nucleic acid-based chemotherapeutic and imaging agents

Key words
cancer, drug delivery, imaging, mutagenesis, nanotechnology, telomere