MECHANOTRANSDUCTION AND AUDITORY PERCEPTION Hair cells in the inner ear are mechanosensors for the perception of sound and head movements. Sound signals directly activate mechanically gated ion channels in hair cells, leading to hair cell depolarization and the release...
Research topics: Cryo-electron microscopy, membrane proteins, glutamate receptors, protein homeostasis We are interested in the structural and biochemical underpinnings of neurotransmission and neurodegeneration, as well as the homeostasis of the proteins contributing to these processes. Primarily, we will be...
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...
Our research seeks to better understand dynamical biological processes, such as embryonic development and brain activity, by recording cells’ experiences in their genomes. To accomplish this objective, we develop: (A) molecular technologies that write cellular experiences into their nucleic...
The central theme of my research is to understand how mechanical actions feedback to biochemical pathways in cellular processes, and how such mechanochemical crosstalk among key cellular players governs spatial-temporal regulation and shapes cell functions. I confront these challenges...
The ability to monitor arbitrary molecules in situ in the body as we undergo normal daily routines could empower us to make educated decisions regarding our diet, fitness, medical treatments and overall health status. Our laboratory pursues this vision...
CRISPR-Cas loci serve as acquired immune systems which protect their bacterial and archaeal hosts from viruses and plasmids. CRISPR immunity occurs in two phases: First, short DNA segments from foreign invaders are captured and inserted into the CRISPR locus...
My lab’s focus is on the development and application of sequencing technologies to gain a deeper understanding of biology and a more accurate set of clinical tools for human disease. Our research integrates the principles of biophysics, molecular biology,...