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Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology

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Research

The Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology (LCMB) has a long and distinguished history in the study of signal transduction mechanisms that control normal cell growth and, when altered, lead to malignant transformation. Through the 1980s and 1990s many critical signaling molecules including growth factors, growth factor receptors and intracellular transduction molecules were first identified and characterized in the LCMB. The mission of LCMB remains focused on performing cutting-edge, world-class research in this field of biology, and important discoveries continue. The goals of the eight LCMB investigators cover a wide range of questions. They focus on defining signaling components and pathways and understanding their regulation. The relationship of signaling to cellular growth and death, transcriptional regulation, mitosis, cellular differentiation and organogenesis, cell adhesion, motility and chemotaxis are more complex topics under investigation. Alterations in signaling leading to oncogenesis, unregulated growth and metastasis are also studied. In all cases the goal LCMB hopes to achieve is outstanding, innovative and high impact science.

The eight groups in LCMB study a broad area of signaling questions and systems. In brief these include T cell antigen receptor activation; Wnt and Frizzled pathways; the TGF-beta receptor, Smads and Smurfs; chemotaxis; focal adhesions, nuclear transport and TNF and Cbl pathways. The investigators have broad expertise in various subjects, extensive technical skills and varied background. This breadth and depth, and the fact that all are interested in the wide area of signal transduction allows for great synergy and interaction.

All the groups take a multi-dimensional approach to their work. In vitro and in vivo results are compared. Biochemical, biophysical, cell biologic and genetic techniques are used as needed. Since 1999 there has been a major push to acquire and develop state-of-the art microscopic resources. Co-localization of several fluorescent proteins in live cells, photobleaching studies to determine molecular dynamics and fluorescent resonance energy transfer (FRET) to determine protein interactions are examples of the imaging techniques used by members of LCMB.


This page was last updated on 10/20/2008.