Faculty

Natalie Ahn

Distinguished Professor of Biochemistry
Dr. Ahn's lab studies the control of cellular signal transduction by phosphorylation and the regulatory mechanisms of enzymes in the growth factor-regulated MAP kinase pathway. Her lab utilizes mass spectrometry and proteomics to identify intracellular targets of kinases and NMR structural studies to further understand these kinases.

Mary Ann Allen

Research Associate Professor, BioFrontiers

Dr. Allen's lab is interested in understanding Global Regulation of Gene Expression. Using computational and molecular tools, we wish to decode the hidden language within the genome. We focus on the TF binding sites, enhancer RNAs, nascent transcription, and gene expression to crack the genome's code.

Nausica Arnoult

Assistant Professor of MCD Biology
Dr. Arnoult's lab seeks to understand the relationships between different DNA repair pathways that act upon double-stranded breaks and uncover novel DNA repair proteins through genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 libraries. Her lab is also curious about the functions of TERRA, a non-coding RNA which binds along with protective proteins at telomeric sequences to prevent them from being recognized as double-stranded breaks.

Halil Aydin

Assistant Professor of Biochemistry

Dr. Aydin’s lab is interested in understanding how mitochondrial membrane proteins regulate the multi-dimensional organizational principles of cellular systems. Our current work is focused on exploring how macromolecules get together, communicate with each other, and facilitate physiological processes.

Robert Batey

Professor of Biochemistry
Dr. Batey's lab focuses on understanding the structural and mechanistic basis for genetic regulation by RNA. His lab also performs X-ray crystallographic studies of the structures and mechanisms of ribonucleoprotein enzymes and switches, including those involved in signal recognition during membrane targetting, in biogenesis of ribosomes, and in RNA regulation.

Justin Brumbaugh

Assistant Professor of MCD Biology
Dr. Brumbaugh's research seeks to understand the mechanisms that control cell identity and differentiation during early development. His lab utilizes cellular reprogramming to understand epigenetic and post-transcriptional mechanisms that define a cell's identity. His lab also explores the role of chromatin modifications and RNA processing in development.

Jeffrey Cameron

Assistant Professor of Biochemistry
Dr. Cameron's lab utilizes synthetic biology to understand the spatial and temporal organization of cyanobacterial metabolism, and to inform the design of novel subcellular architectures for controlling these metabolic networks. Members of his lab are investigating the organization of the photosynthetic and CO₂ fixation pathways through time-lapse microscopy, quantitative image analysis, and mass spectrometry. 

Tom Cech

Distinguished Professor of Biochemistry, HHMI Investigator, Nobel Laureate
Dr. Cech's lab uses X-ray crystallography to understand the folding and catalytic function of ribozymes and other large RNA molecules. His lab also uses combinatorial (in vitro selection) approaches, single-molecule live-cell imaging, and kinetic and thermodynamic analysis to understand ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes.

Edward Chuong

Assistant Professor of MCD Biology
Dr. Chuong's research focuses on the role that transposons play in the evolution of mammalian gene regulatory networks. More specifically, he studies how transposons regulate immune defense genes, how reactivated transposons affect pathogenic gene regulatory networks, and placenta evolution due to maternal-fetal interactions during pregnancy.

Shelley Copley

Professor of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology

Dr. Copley’s lab studies the promiscuity of enzymes that are able to catalyze multiple reactions and their potential for evolution of novel metabolic pathways patched together from multiple promiscuous enzymes.

Corrie Detweiler

Associate Professor of MCD Biology
Dr. Detweiler's lab studies host-pathogen interactions, specifically how pathogenic bacteria evade and manipulate the mammalian immune system. On the topic of drug discovery, her lab uses basic science to identify, develop, and optimize new antibacterial small molecule compounds.

Zoe Donaldson

Assistant Professor of MCD Biology
Dr. Donaldson's research seeks to elucidate the neuromolecular basis of complex social behavior. Utilizing prarie voles, calcium imaging, and optogenetic and chemogenetic manipulation, her lab hopes to identify the neuroplasticity underlying pair bond formation between mammals and how the sudden loss of a loved one impacts these circuits. Her lab also studies the role of social relationships in mental health and stress response.

Robin Dowell-Deen

Associate Professor of MCD Biology
Dr. Dowell-Deen's lab is interested in noncoding transcription, comparative genomics, transcriptional regulation, and bioinformatics using both experimental and computational techniques. Her lab utilizes machine learning, various RNA sequencing techniques, and large-scale data analysis to understand aneuploidy on transcription and transcription factor activity through nascent transcription, among other topics.

Jim Goodrich

Professor and Department Chair of Biochemistry
Dr. Goodrich's lab studies various aspects of mammalian transcriptional regulation. His lab utilizes sequencing techniques to understand the effects of viral infection and heat shock on Pol II transcription, and in vitro transcription to uncover Pol II's RNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity which modifies non-coding RNAs. His lab also uses single-molecule TIRF microscopy and image analysis to understand the dynamics and kinetics of the general transcription machinery and the architectural chromatin-binding factor HMGB1.

Min Han

Professor of MCD Biology
Dr. Han's lab studies genetic and molecular analysis of cell signaling, differentiation, migration, and morphogenesis during nematode C. elegans development. Recently, the lab has focused on identifying the sensory mechanisms of nutrient deficiency and developmental regulation, as well as the non-canonical role of caspases in modulating these networks.

Vignesh Kasinath

Assistant Professor of Biochemistry

Dr. Kasinath’s lab seeks to characterize the processes regulating transcriptional repression and heterochromatin formation as well as visualizing the in situ chromosome architecture and higher order chromatin structures.

Jennifer Kugel

Research Professor of Biochemistry 

Dr. Kugel's research focuses on uncovering the molecular mechanisms governing mammalian RNA polymerase II transcription and its regulation in the context of ncRNA modifications and cellular stress.

Leslie Leinwand

Professor of MCD Biology, HHMI Professor
Dr. Leinwand's lab performs biophysical studies of motor protein performance. These studies include investigating formation, function, and dysfunction of skeletal and cardiac muscle, components of the sarcomere including myosin heavy chain and troponin T, and mutations that cause heart disease.

Xuedong Liu

Professor of Biochemistry
Dr. Liu's lab seeks to discover mechanisms that control cell proliferation and identify novel anti-cancer reagents and anti-neurodegenerative agents. His lab studies cell signaling pathways that are critical for cancer cell proliferation and Parkinson's diseases.

Karolin Luger

Professor of Biochemistry, HHMI Investigator
Dr. Luger's lab investigates various facets of nucleosome structure and dynamics. This includes studies of histone chaperones and nucleosome assembly factors, interaction of chromatin with nuclear proteins (such as PARP-1), and transcriptional navigation through nucleosomes on chromatin.

Lee Niswander

Professor and Department Chair of MCD Biology
Dr. Niswander's lab uses mouse models to investigate mechanisms of mammalian development and the genetics of structural birth defects in neural tubes, including anencephaly and open spina bifida. Her research group also develops time-lapse imaging methods for visualization of mammalian embryos to better understand how these defects arise.

Greg Odorizzi

Professor of MCD Biology
Dr. Odorizzi's lab studies the cell biology and genetics of membrane scission, Golgi trafficking, protein degradation to understand how defects in these systems lead to human disease. His lab also investigates the regulation of organelle function by phosphoinositide lipids, which interact directly with proteins within the organelle membrane and may play a role in neurodegenerative disease when disregulated.

Brad Olwin

Professor of MCD Biology
Dr. Olwin's lab is interested in exploring the molecular mechanisms of satellite cells, which mainain the health and integrity of skeletal muscle tissue after injury. The long-term research goal of the lab hopes to use their understanding of satellite cells and skeletal muscle regeneration to develop cell-based gene therapies that repair skeletal muscle in muscular dystrophy and neuromuscular disease.

Amy Palmer

Professor of Biochemistry
Dr. Palmer's lab is heavily focused on a biophysical understanding of metal ion homeostasis and signaling in cells. Using novel biosensors, FRET sensors and reporters, microfluidics and rational protein design, her lab hopes to develop and expand imaging tools available for monitoring metal ions in live cells.

Roy Parker

Distinguished Professor of Biochemistry, HHMI Investigator
Dr. Parker's lab aims to understand the molecular mechanisms that control eukaryotic mRNAs in the cytoplasm with a focus on control of translation and stability/degradation. His lab is particularly interested in the structure and function of processing bodies (P bodies), which are discrete cytoplasmic foci that contain mRNAs not currently engaged in translation.

John Rinn

Professor of Biochemistry
Dr. Rinn's lab combines computational and experimental techniques in order to decode the noncoding (lncRNA) genome. His lab focuses on identifying and characterizing new lncRNA genes through understanding how lncRNA sequence influences function (much like a protein's primary sequence determines it's structure), and on developing novel sequencing and imaging technologies to further understand lncRNA interactions across the genome.

Sara Sawyer

Professor of MCD Biology
Dr. Sawyer's lab studies how animal viruses evolve as they infect new species, including humans. Their studies of viral spillover are critical for predicting and controlling viral epidemics, as well as learning more about evolutionary biology in general. After years of studying this topic, her lab turned to investigations of SARS-CoV-2 during the coronavirus pandemic, whcih is caused by a spillover virus.

Jingshi Shen

Associate Professor of MCD Biology
Dr. Shen's lab studies signal transduction across membranes and auto-feedback cellular homeostasis systems. This includes learning about the general principles that govern vesicle-mediated cargo transport between intracellular organelles and between cells (intracellular and extracellular vesicles, respectively).

Marcelo Sousa

Professor of Biochemistry
Dr. Sousa's lab uses FRET and atomic force microscopy to understand the fundamental cellular processes that occur at the cellular membrane interface. Multiple projects in the lab focus on the dynamics and mechanisms of the protein complexes responsible for folding and inserting other membrane proteins into the bacterial and mitochondrial outer membrane.

Sabrina Spencer

Assistant Professor of Biochemistry
Dr. Spencer's lab uses single-cell analysis, including microscopy and image analysis techniques, to study how signaling events control cell fate. By developing various sensors of cell cycle state, her lab is able to investigate cellular behaviors that influence a cell's decision between proliferation and quiescence.

Tin Tin Su

Professor of MCD Biology
Dr. Su's lab is interested in genes that promote changes in cell fate and cell translocation after radiation damage, including radiation from cancer therapy. To enhance the killing effect of radiation, her lab uses Drosophila to screen for small molecules that inhibit tissue regeneration, thus making radiation treatments more successful for targeting cancer cells.

Dylan Taatjes

Professor of Biochemistry
Dr. Taatjes' lab performs structural and functional studies of large, multi-subunit complexes involved in gene regulation and Pol II transcription. The lab utilizes biochemical assays and cryo-electron microscopy to further our understanding of mammalian transcriptional regulation. The lab also investigates the role of p53 isoforms in aging, metabolism, and stem cell biology through experimental and computational methods.

Gia Voeltz

Professor of MCD Biology, HHMI Investigator
Dr. Voeltz's research interests include organelle biogenesis and the use of electron microscopy, fluorescence and other tools to learn how membrane proteins and their partners define the shapes of cellular membranes. Much of her lab's research utilizes these techniques to understand the dynamics, shape, and intracellular contacts of the endoplasmic reticulum.

Aaron Whiteley

Assistant Professor of Biochemistry
Dr. Whiteley's research focuses on understanding human infectious diseases to inform development of novel therapeutics. The lab studies innate immune signaling pathways (found in both humans and bacteria) that use nucleotide second messengers to amplify signals, and the complexes that lie at the heart of host-pathogen interactions.

Alexandra Whiteley

Assistant Professor of Biochemistry
Dr. Whiteley's lab is working towards an integrated understanding of ubiquitin-mediated regulation of protein degradation. Her lab seeks to understand how mislocalized mitochondrial proteins inhibit protein synthesis and cell cycle entry, and how mutations in the ubiquitin and/or proteasome machinery lead to neurodegenerative disease, including ALS.

Deborah Wuttke

Professor of Biochemistry
Dr. Wuttke's lab performs high-resolution, heteronuclear, multi-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance studies of biomolecules and their complexes in the context of telomere and lncRNA biology. The lab also uses NMR and biochemical methods to probe the relationship between three-dimensional structure and function in solution.