The evolution of multicellularity occurred hand in hand with the diversification of cell types with disparate morphologies and functions. This segregation of function across different cell types enabled astounding animal complexity; but at the same time, extreme specializations of...
Understanding how the information in the genome is utilized is one of the central questions in modern biology. It has become clear that a critical level of gene regulation occurs through the chemical modification of both the DNA itself...
The ribosome is a complex molecular machine that translates the genetic code into functional polypeptides. Our work focuses on understanding how the ribosome functions at a molecular level and how changes in its activity lead to mRNA quality control...
Research in the Retrovirus Laboratory focuses on the molecular virology and pathogenesis of lentivirus infections. In particular, the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) is used to examine the molecular basis for the pathogenesis of HIV CNS disease. Research projects include...
A fundamental property of living cells is their extraordinary ability to sense and respond to a changing environment. In higher eukaryotes, malfunctioning of signaling networks has many devastating consequences such as cancer, diabetes or autoimmunity. Such consequences arise from...
Our lab studies gene regulation in germ cells, with a focus on “RNA granules” which are phase-separated compartments rich in RNA and proteins. We have identified a family of intrinsically-disordered proteins that form gel-like assemblies that sequester RNA (RNA...
For the 34 million people infected with HIV-1, the best current hope for avoiding the fatal consequences of the infection lies in treatment with antiretroviral therapy (ART), which consists of combinations of three drugs that inhibit specific steps in...
Biology: Frizzled receptors in development and disease Our laboratory has focused for the past two decades on a large family of cell-surface receptors called Frizzled. This name refers to the appearance of fruit flies in which the receptor...
Messenger RNA (mRNA) translation by the ribosome represents the final step on a complicated molecular dance from DNA to protein. Though classically considered a decipherer that translates our 64-word genetic code into a proteome of astonishing complexity, recent work...
