My laboratory is interested in the molecular mechanisms by which cells interpret signals from their environment that instruct them to proliferate, differentiate, or die by apoptosis. This process is of fundamental importance in the development and function of the...
Molecular Biology and Physiology of Ion Transport Chloride is the most abundant free negatively charged ion in the body. Chloride channels are cell-membrane embedded proteins, allowing the movement of chloride in and out of the cells. Defects in chloride...
Even among similar cell types, differences in synaptic connectivity and activity patterns render these populations functionally and molecularly distinct. While early cell type-specific investigations obtained molecular profiles on the basis of cell-type markers, molecular genetic tools now allow researchers...
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...
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 research interest is to understand the molecular mechanisms of signaling pathways with the goal of understanding what factors regulate the activity of these pathways. This knowledge provides the framework needed to interpret how alterations to a pathway, such...