School of Medicine
Showing 1-76 of 76 Results
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Maria Barna
Assistant Professor of Genetics and of Developmental Biology
Current Research and Scholarly Interests Our lab studies how intricate control of gene expression and cell signaling is regulated on a minute-by-minute basis to give rise to the remarkable diversity of cell types and tissue morphology that form the living blueprints of developing organisms. Work in the Barna lab is presently split into two main research efforts. The first is investigating ribosome-mediated control of gene expression genome-wide in space and time during cellular differentiation and organismal development. This research is opening a new field of study in which we apply sophisticated mass spectrometry, computational biology, genomics, and developmental genetics, to characterize a ribosome code to gene expression. Our research has shown that not all of the millions of ribosomes within a cell are the same and that ribosome heterogeneity can diversify how genomes are translated into proteomes. In particular, we seek to address whether fundamental aspects of gene regulation are controlled by ribosomes harboring a unique activity or composition that are tuned to translating specific transcripts by virtue of RNA regulatory elements embedded within their 5’UTRs. The second research effort is centered on employing state-of-the-art live cell imaging to visualize cell signaling and cellular control of organogenesis. This research has led to the realization of a novel means of cell-cell communication dependent on a dense network of actin-based cellular extension within developing organs that interconnect and facilitate the precise transmission of molecular information between cells. We apply and create bioengineering tools to manipulate such cellular interactions and signaling in-vivo.
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Philip Beachy
The Ernest and Amelia Gallo Professor in the School of Medicine, Professor of Developmental Biology and, by courtesy, of Chemical and Systems Biology
Current Research and Scholarly Interests Function of Hedgehog proteins and other extracellular signals in morphogenesis (pattern formation), in injury repair and regeneration (pattern maintenance). We study how the distribution of such signals is regulated in tissues, how cells perceive and respond to distinct concentrations of signals, and how such signaling pathways arose in evolution. We also study the normal roles of such signals in stem-cell physiology and their abnormal roles in the formation and expansion of cancer stem cells.
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Gill Bejerano
Associate Professor of Developmental Biology, of Computer Science, of Biomedical Data Science and of Pediatrics (Genetics)
Current Research and Scholarly Interests Dr. Bejerano, co-discoverer of ultraconserved elements, studies the Human Genome. His research focuses on genome sequence and function in both humans and related primate, mammalian and vertebrate species. He is deeply interested in mapping both coding and non-coding genome sequence variation to phenotype differences, and in extracting specific genetic insights from high throughput sequencing measurements, in the contexts of development and developmental abnormalities.
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Alistair Boettiger
Assistant Professor of Developmental Biology
Current Research and Scholarly Interests My lab focuses on investigating the role of three-dimensional genome organization in regulating gene expression and in shaping cell fate specification during development. We pursue this with advanced single-molecule imaging and transgenics.
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James K. Chen
Professor of Chemical and Systems Biology and of Developmental Biology and, by courtesy, of Chemistry
Current Research and Scholarly Interests Our laboratory combines synthetic chemistry and developmental biology to investigate the molecular events that regulate embryonic patterning, tissue regeneration, and tumorigenesis. We are currently using genetic and small-molecule approaches to study the molecular mechanisms of Hedgehog signaling, and we are developing chemical technologies to perturb and observe the genetic programs that underlie vertebrate development.
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Gerald Crabtree
Department of Pathology Professor in Experimental Pathology and Professor of Developmental Biology
Current Research and Scholarly Interests Chromatin regulation and its roles in human cancer and the development of the nervous system. Engineering new methods for studying and controlling chromatin in living cells.
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Margaret T. Fuller
Reed-Hodgson Professor in Human Biology and Professor of Genetics and of Obstetrics/Gynecology (Reproductive and Stem Cell Biology)
Current Research and Scholarly Interests Regulation of stem cell division and self-renewal Cell type specific transcription machinery and regulation of cell differentiation Developmental regulation of cell cycle progression during male meiosis Molecular dissection of the mechanism of cytokinesis.
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Chloe Girard
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Developmental Biology
Current Research and Scholarly Interests Crossovers (COs) at meiosis are necessary for a balanced first meiotic division. The number of crossovers, per cell and per chromosome, is tightly regulated, within a narrow range of variation. COs are initiated by double strand-breaks (DSBs) that are then processed either through the ZMM pathway or the MUS81 pathway. But DSBs greatly outnumbers COs in a large set of species. This suggests a conserved mechanism which would limit the number of COs formed despite an excess of CO intermediates.
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Antonina Hafner
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Developmental Biology
Bio I am a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Alistair Boettiger in the Department of Developmental Biology. I have always been interested in understanding regulatory mechanisms that lead to tissue or cell type specific gene expression. During my PhD in the lab of Galit Lahav at Harvard Medical School, I studied how temporal dynamics of a tumor suppressor transcription factor, p53 regulate the dynamics of gene expression in response to DNA damage. In the Boettiger lab, I'm interested how specificity between enhancer-promoter interactions is achieved using super-resolution microscopy.
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Daniel Jarosz
Assistant Professor of Chemical and Systems Biology and of Developmental Biology
Current Research and Scholarly Interests My laboratory studies conformational switches in evolution, disease, and development. We focus on how molecular chaperones, proteins that help other biomolecules to fold, affect the phenotypic output of genetic variation. To do so we combine classical biochemistry and genetics with systems-level approaches. Ultimately we seek to understand how homeostatic mechanisms influence the acquisition of biological novelty and identify means of manipulating them for therapeutic and biosynthetic benefit.
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Seung K. Kim M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Developmental Biology and, by courtesy, of Medicine (Endocrinology)
Current Research and Scholarly Interests We study the genetics of pancreatic islet cell differentiation using molecular, embryologic and genetic methods in several model systems, including mice, embryonic stem cells, and Drosophila. Our work suggests that critical factors required for islet development are also needed to maintain essential functions of the mature islet. Our knowledge of genetic and cellular pathways governing islet formation has allowed us to use stem cell lines to produce islet replacements in vitro.
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Stuart Kim
Professor of Developmental Biology, Emeritus
Current Research and Scholarly Interests Mechanisms of Aging in C. elegans and humans.
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Samuel Kimmey
Ph.D. Student in Developmental Biology, admitted Autumn 2014
Bio Sam Kimmey is a PhD candidate in the Bendall Lab. He grew up in Upstate New York and studied Biochemistry as an undergraduate at Stony Brook University.
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David Kingsley
Professor of Developmental Biology
Current Research and Scholarly Interests We use mice, stickleback fish, and humans to study the molecular basis of evolution and common diseases. By combining genetics and genomics, we have identified key DNA changes that control bone formation, limb patterning, hair color, brain evolution, and susceptibility to arthritis, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. We find that the same genetic mechanisms are often used repeatedly in nature, providing new insights into the origin of key traits in many different species, including ourselves.
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Kyle M. Loh
Assistant Professor of Developmental Biology (Stem Cell)
Current Research and Scholarly Interests We have developed a strategy to generate fairly pure populations of various human tissue progenitors in a dish from embryonic stem cells (ESCs). We have delineated the sequential lineage steps through which ESCs diversify into various tissues, and in so doing, developed methods to exclusively induce certain fates at the expense of others. The resultant pure populations of tissue progenitors are the fundamental building blocks for regenerative medicine.
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Harley H McAdams
Professor (Research) of Developmental Biology, Emeritus
Current Research and Scholarly Interests Experimental and theoretical analysis and modeling of genetic regulatory circuits, particularly bacterial regulation and with emphasis on global regulation of Caulobacter crescentus. Bioinformatic analysis of bacterial genomes, of microarray expression patterns, and cross-species genomic analysis. Techniques: gene expression microarrays, fluorescent microscopy, electron microscopy, genetics, molecular biology
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Roeland Nusse
Virginia and Daniel K. Ludwig Professor in Cancer Research and the Reed-Hodgson Professor in Human Biology
Current Research and Scholarly Interests Our laboratory studies Wnt signaling in development and disease. We found recently that Wnt proteins are unusual growth factors, because they are lipid-modified. We discovered that Wnt proteins promote the proliferation of stem cells of various origins. Current work is directed at understanding the function of the lipid on the Wnt, using Wnt proteins as factors the expand stem cells and on understanding Wnt signaling during repair and regeneration after tissue injury.
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Ellen Porzig
Professor (Teaching) of Developmental Biology, Emerita
Current Research and Scholarly Interests Early Human Developmental Biology:
From Egg to Embryo
Organogenesis: Pattern formation
Sex Determination in Embryogenesis -
Matthew P. Scott
Professor of Developmental Biology, Emeritus
Current Research and Scholarly Interests Our research has been focused on the genetic regulation of animal development and its relation to birth defects, cancer, and neurodegeneration. We studied mechanisms and functions of Hedgehog (Hh) signaling, which controls cell fates and growth, in the context of normal development and brain cancer. We studied a neurodegenerative disease, Niemann-Pick C syndrome, that affects intracellular organelle movements and sterol homeostasis. Due to Dr. Scott's new job, the lab is no longer active.
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Lucy Shapiro
Virginia and D. K. Ludwig Professor
Current Research and Scholarly Interests A basic question in developmental biology involves the mechanisms used to generate the three-dimensional organization of a cell from a one-dimensional genetic code. Our goal is to define these mechanisms using both molecular genetics and biochemistry.
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William Talbot
Senior Associate Dean, Graduate Education & Postdoctoral Affairs and Professor of Developmental Biology
Current Research and Scholarly Interests We use genetic and cellular approaches to investigate the molecular basis of glial development and myelination in the zebrafish.
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Anne Villeneuve
Professor of Developmental Biology and of Genetics
Current Research and Scholarly Interests Mechanisms underlying homologous chromosome pairing, DNA recombination and chromosome remodeling during meiosis, using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as an experimental system. High-resolution 3-D imaging of dynamic reorganization of chromosome architecture. Role of protease inhibitors in regulating sperm activation.
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Bo Wang
Assistant Professor of Bioengineering and, by courtesy, of Developmental Biology
Bio We are a discovery-driven research group working at the interface between statistical physics, developmental biology, and bioengineering. We combine quantitative organism-wide fluorescence imaging ("deep imaging"), functional genomics ("deep sequencing"), and statistical modeling to study systems biology and evolutionary cell biology of flatworms, including free living planarians and parasitic flukes. Using these animals, we seek to understand quantitatively the fundamental rules that control stem cell collective behavior to optimize tissue regeneration, remolding, and adaptation.
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Irving Weissman
Virginia & D.K. Ludwig Professor for Clinical Investigation in Cancer Research, Professor of Developmental Biology and, by courtesy, of Biology
Current Research and Scholarly Interests Stem cell and cancer stem cell biology; development of T and B lymphocytes; cell-surface receptors for oncornaviruses in leukemia. Hematopoietic stem cells; Lymphocyte homing, lymphoma invasiveness and metastasis.
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Joanna Wysocka
Professor of Chemical and Systems Biology and of Developmental Biology
Current Research and Scholarly Interests The precise and robust regulation of gene expression is a cornerstone for complex biological life. Research in our laboratory is focused on understanding how regulatory information encoded by the genome is integrated with the transcriptional machinery and chromatin context to allow for emergence of form and function during human embryogenesis and evolution, and how perturbations in this process lead to disease.
