Faculty Research Interests

Graduate faculty eligible to serve as major advisors of graduate students

 

Nathan Alder

Nathan Alder, Professor, PhD
Biochemical and biophysical approaches to studying the structure, function, and biogenesis of membrane proteins; fluorescence-based investigation of membrane protein complexes and protein trafficking in mitochondria; membrane bioenergetics; organelle biogenesis. Alder Lab
Andrei Alexandrescu, Professor, PhD
High-resolution solution NMR of protein structure, folding, dynamics, and association; amyloids; phage/virus and pathogen proteins; unconventional zinc fingers; mitochondria; metabolomics. Alexandrescu Lab

Sean Flynn Kenneth Campellone, Associate Professor, PhD
Our research goals are to determine (1) how the cytoskeleton controls the organization, shape, and movement of cells and their internal components; (2) how cytoskeletal remodeling is altered by infectious microbes and genetic mutations; and (3) how cytoskeletal functions affect biological aging.  We use a combination of bioinformatic, genetic, biochemical, molecular, cellular, and organismal approaches to study these processes. Campellone Lab
Leighton Core Leighton Core, Associate Professor, PhD
The goal of our lab is to determine how changes in RNA transcription and processing drive changes or maintenance of cellular states during development or disease progression.  Towards this goal, we primarily apply genomic techniques and bioinformatics to uncover the full transcriptional ‘signatures’ of various cell types as well as the fundamental mechanisms of transcription that underly them. Core Lab
Jelena Erceg Jelena Erceg, Assistant Professor, PhD
4D genome architecture, functional genomics, epi/genetics, gene regulation, developmental biology, evolution Erceg Lab
Dan Gage Daniel Gage, Professor, PhD, Associate Head of Undergraduate Research and Education
Molecular genetics of plant-microbe interactions; bacterial physiology; regulation of bacterial gene expression in response to extracellular signals. Gage Lab
Giardina, Charles Charles Giardina, Professor, PhD
Studies of eukaryotic RNA polymerase II transcription regulation; mechanisms governing transcription of stress-response genes; the nature of RNA polymerase II interactions at the promoter. Giardina Lab
Gogarten J. Peter Gogarten, Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor, PhD
Origin and early evolution of cellular life; molecular evolution; horizontal gene transfer; diversity within microbial populations; selfish DNA; molecular parasites. Gogarten Lab
Goldhamer David Goldhamer, Professor, PhD
Regulation of cell fates in mammalian development; transcriptional control and function of skeletal muscle regulatory genes; muscle stem cell function and plasticity; mechanism of heterotopic bone formation in human disease. Goldhamer Lab
Stacey Hanlon Stacey Hanlon, Assistant Professor, PhD
"How does the cell ensure that meiosis is fair?  The Hanlon Lab studies genetic renegades and the mechanisms in place to keep selfish genetic elements from gaming the system.  We use classical genetic and modern cell biology techniques to examine the dynamics of selfish B chromosomes during female meiosis in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster Hanlon Lab
Heaslip Aoife Heaslip, Associate Professor, PhD
Toxoplasma gondii host-pathogen interactions; roles of myosin and actin in vesicle transport and organelle positioning inT. gondii. Heaslip Lab
Sarah Hird Sarah Hird, Associate Professor, PhD
Host-microbiome evolution, gut microbiota, bioinformatics, microbial ecology, ornithology, phylogeography. Hird Lab
Klassen Jonathan Klassen, Associate Professor, PhD
Microbial community ecology, especially using the fungus-growing ant symbiosis as a model system to study the evolution of microbial interaction networks; microbial natural product genomics, evolution and chemical ecology Klassen Lab
Juliet Lee Juliet Lee, Associate Professor, PhD
The regulation of cell movement; mechanochemical signal transduction; the role of intracellular calcium; cellular force production and its relationship to adhesion formation and cytoskeletal dynamics. Lee Lab
Michael Lynes Michael Lynes, Professor, PhD
Genetic and biochemical control of the immune response; membrane structure and function during development; mechanisms of autoimmune dysfunction; multiplexed surface plasmon resonance imaging microarray assessments of biological signatures. Lynes Lab
Eric May Eric May, Associate Professor, PhD
Computational and theoretical biophysics and biochemistry, with an emphasis towards understanding conformational/phase transitions and the mechanical and thermodynamic properties of biological materials. May Lab
Mellone Barbara Mellone, Professor, PhD
Genome inheritance and stability, chromosome dynamics during cell division, epigenetics. Mellone Lab
Milligan-McClellan Kat Milligan-McClellan, Assistant Professor, PhD
Our lab focuses on how host genetic background contributes to the balance between the immune response to microbiota in the gut and intestinal microbial membership. Milligan-McClellan Lab
Dylan Murray Dylan Murray, Assistant Professor, PhD
Mechanistic, molecular view of how biopolymers assemble functionally and pathologically. We employ a multi-faceted experimental and computational approach centered around magnetic resonance. RNA granule formation and aggregation in neurodegenerative disease; intermediate filament assembly and defects associated with cancers and pediatric disorders; and the structure of the plant cell wall with applications for engineering fossil fuel alternatives and drought tolerance.
Nelson Craig Nelson, Associate Professor, PhD
Molecular biological, genetic, genomic, and computational analysis of the evolution of developmental processes and organismal complexity. Nelson Lab
Spencer Nyholm Spencer Nyholm, Professor, PhD
Host-microbe interactions; symbiosis; relationship between beneficial bacteria and the innate immune system; comparative immunology. Nyholm Lab
Michael O'Neill Michael O'Neill, Associate Professor, PhD
Molecular genetics of vertebrate development; molecular mechanisms of genomic imprinting; evolution of genomic imprinting; genetics of imprinting and behavior.
Rachel O'Neill Rachel O'Neill, Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor, PhD
Genetics of speciation; mammalian chromosome evolution; genome evolution and remodeling; transposable elements and retroelements; hybridogenesis and clonal inheritance in vertebrates; epigenetics. R.O’Neill Lab
Kristen Ramsey Kristen Ramsey, Assistant Professor, PhD
Integrating rigorous molecular biophysical approaches with cell-based functional assays to define the biochemical and biophysical mechanisms of key interactions by the RIG-I-like receptor (RLR) family of innate immune RNA sensors. This work will form the basis for further understanding the fundamental biology of pathogen-sensing and signaling by RLRs
Vikki Robinson Victoria Robinson, Associate Professor, PhD, Associate Department Head of Graduate Research and Education
Genetic, biochemical, and structural methodologies to study novel families of bacterial GTPases as targets for antimicrobial development. Robinson Lab
Santiago-Martinez Michel Geovanni Santiago-Martinez (Geo), Assistant Professor, PhD
Our Microbial Ecophysiology Lab is focused on understanding the regulation of cellular processes in methanogenic and non-methanogenic archaea, and their actual role in free-living environments and microbiomes associated to animals and plants. MEB Lab
Carol Teschke Carolyn Teschke, Professor, MCB Department Head
In vivo and in vitro investigations of the assembly of virus capsids, the interactions between proteins and molecular chaperones, including those used in secretion of proteins from Mycobacterium species. Teschke Lab
Zhang Ping Zhang, Associate Professor, PhD
Drosophila chromosome structure and function; P element insertional mutagenesis; unusual transcriptional regulation of heterochromatin; Y chromosome genes required for spermatogenesis.
Zweifach Adam Zweifach, Professor, PhD
Lymphocyte physiology and cell biology; role of intracellular calcium dynamics in lymphocyte function; molecular mechanisms of exocytosis; signaling in the immune system. Zweifach Lab