Programs

Program affiliation
General

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

Program affiliation
Neurosciences
Biochemistry Biophysics and Structural Biology

Research summary
Molecular mechanisms of anesthetic action - Proteomics of GABAA receptors

Key words
Anesthetics, photolabeling, mass spectrometry, proteomics

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

Program affiliation
Immunology
Cancer Biology

Research summary
My laboratory is focused on the molecular mechanisms regulating natural killer cell activation, novel methods to use NK cells as immunotherapy for cancer, and lymphoma genomics.

Key words
cancer, cytokine, immunology, innate immunity, NK cells, small noncoding RNAs, immunotherapy, lymphoma, genomics

Program affiliation
Molecular Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis
Plant and Microbial Biosciences

Research summary
Pathogenesis of multidrug resistant bacteria and biogenesis of bacterial vesicles in the human gut

Key words

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

Program affiliation
General

Research summary
We are examining the role of the autophagy pathway in the function of the retina and its role in diseases of the eye

Key words
angiogenesis, apoptosis, autophagy, immunology, lymphocyte, tolerance, photoreceptors, vision,

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

Research summary
We use both mouse models and patient samples of acute myloid leukemia to understand leukemogenesis and to identify novel therapeutic targets.

Key words

Program affiliation
Plant and Microbial Biosciences

Research summary
Microbial biogeochemistry and metabolic stable isotopic (C/N/S) fractionation

Key words
microbial biogeochemistry, stable isotope geochemistry, microbial mats, carbon cycling, sulfur cycling, Earth history

Program affiliation
General

Research summary
Identify novel target pathways for therapeutic treatment of obesity-related diseases including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and fatty liver disease

Key words
diabetes, fatty acid, insulin, cardiovascular disease, fatty liver disease, mitochondria