Molecular Cell Biology
Siyuan Ding, PhD
Associate Professor
- Email: siyuan.ding@wustl.edu
Program affiliation
Molecular Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis
Immunology
Molecular Cell Biology
Research summary
Understanding how rotavirus (RV), an important enteric viral pathogen, interacts with the host innate immune system in the small intestine
Key words
Naomi Dirckx, PhD
Assistant Professor
- Email: dirckx@wustl.edu
Program affiliation
Molecular Cell Biology
Biochemistry Biophysics and Structural Biology
Developmental Regenerative and Stem Cell Biology
Research summary
Key words
Abhinav Diwan, MD, FACC, FAHA
Charlie W. Shaeffer, MD, Professor
- Email: adiwan@wustl.edu
Program affiliation
Molecular Cell Biology
Research summary
Transcriptional regulation of lysosome machinery under stress
Key words
Lysosomes, Ischemia-reperfusion, cell death, autophagy, transcriptional regulation, metabolism
Ram Dixit, PhD
Professor and Biology Department Chair
- Email: ramdixit@wustl.edu
Program affiliation
Plant and Microbial Biosciences
Molecular Cell Biology
Biochemistry Biophysics and Structural Biology
Research summary
Molecular mechanisms of cytoskeleton organization and function
Key words
cytoskeleton, molecular motors, cell morphogenesis, cell wall biogenesis, plant biology
Tamara Doering, MD, PhD
Alumni Endowed Professor
- Email: doering@wustl.edu
Program affiliation
Molecular Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis
Molecular Cell Biology
Plant and Microbial Biosciences
Biochemistry Biophysics and Structural Biology
Research summary
Biology and pathogenesis of the pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans
Key words
biochemistry, biosynthetic pathways, cell biology, eukaryotic pathogen, gene regulation, genomic variants, glycobiology, host-pathogen interactions, microbial pathogenesis, pathogenic fungi, sterol transport, yeast
Susan Dutcher, PhD
Professor
- Email: dutcher@wustl.edu
Program affiliation
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Molecular Cell Biology
Human and Statistical Genetics
Plant and Microbial Biosciences
Research summary
Key words
centrioles, cilia, signal transduction, cytoskeleton,
Gabor Egervari, PhD
Assistant Professor
- Email: gabor@wustl.edu
Program affiliation
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Biochemistry Biophysics and Structural Biology
Neurosciences
Molecular Cell Biology
Research summary
We aim to understand how metabolism influences epigenetics, gene expression and behavior, particularly in the context of substance use disorders and neurodegeneration
Key words
Metabolism, epigenetics, alcohol, addiction, neurodegeneration, Alzheimer’s
Elliot Elson, PhD
Professor Emeritus
- Email: elson@wustl.edu
Program affiliation
Biochemistry Biophysics and Structural Biology
Molecular Cell Biology
Research summary
Mechanical properties of reconstituted tissues; fluctuation spectroscopy of protein interactions
Key words
cytoskeleton, signal transduction, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, tissue engineering, cell/tissue mechanics
Roberta Faccio, PhD
Associate Professor
- Email: faccior@wustl.edu
Program affiliation
Molecular Cell Biology
Immunology
Cancer Biology
Research summary
interactions between bone and immune cells in inflammation and cancer
Key words
arthritis, inflammation, cancer, bone metastases, osteoclasts
Lijuan Feng
Assistant Professor
- Email: l.feng@wustl.edu
Program affiliation
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Developmental Regenerative and Stem Cell Biology
Molecular Cell Biology
Research summary
Our lab studies how disease-associated histone mutations disrupt chromatin and epigenetic regulation, contributing to developmental disorders, brain inflammation, and cancer. We take a multidisciplinary approach that combines biochemical and genomic assays, molecular genetics, cell biology, and both Drosophila and mouse models to investigate how these mutations impair development and drive tumorigenesis. Current projects focus on neurodevelopmental disorders, cancer-associated histone mutations, chromatin–immune crosstalk, and the discovery of chromatin-associated factors. Through this work, we aim to uncover fundamental mechanisms of chromatin dysregulation and identify new therapeutic targets.
Key words
Chromatin, Epigenetics, Gene Regulation, Cancer, Developmental Disorders, Brain Inflammation