Cytoskeleton

BIOGRAPHY

ACADEMIC POSITION:
Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Berkeley

RESEARCH INTERESTS:
The ability to change shape and to move is critical for the function of cell types ranging from single celled amoeba to immune cells and neurons. We are studying the engine that powers cell shape change and migration, the actin cytoskeleton, using a combination of cell biological, biochemical and genetic techniques. In particular, we are working to determine how actin filament assembly is initiated, how it is regulated by signal transduction pathways, and how it functions during processes such as whole cell migration and intracellular membrane trafficking. Moreover, we are working to understand how different bacterial and viral pathogens target the actin cytoskeleton of host cells to promote pathogen internalization, replication and spread during infection.