Thematic Research Areas: Quantitative Cell Biology Research

UCHC’s Quantitative Cell Biology research has grown into an area of concentration in Cell Analysis and Modeling. Faculty associated with this area explore complex biological systems using the tools of computational cell biology, optical imaging and other quantitative approaches to analyze processes in living cells. Students are provided with rigorous cross training in areas of mathematical, physical, and computational sciences and biology to develop interdisciplinary scientists. Cell Analysis and Modeling training participants come from diverse disciplinary backgrounds. Student take courses, attend seminars and work on interdisciplinary research projects to broaden and strengthen their abilities to do quantitative cell biology research.

Michael Blinov, Assistant Professor of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science. Computational Biology: Modeling of signal transcription systems and protein-dna interactions. Bioinformatics: Data mining and visualization. Developing software tools and mathematical methods for rule-based modeling of signal transduction systems.

John H. Carson, Professor of Molecular, Microbial and Structural Biology, B.A., Reed College, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology. RNA transport in cells of the nervous system.

Ann Cowan, Associate Professor of Molecular, Microbial and Structural Biology; Deputy Director, Center for Biomedical Imaging Technology; Ph.D., University of Colorado, 1984 Research encompassing several areas of mammalian sperm development.

Greg Huber, Assistant Professor of Cell Biology, Ph.D., Boston University. Problems in biological physics, with an emphasis on the interplay of statistical mechanics, biomechanics, and fluid dynamics.

Leslie M. Loew, Professor of Cell Biology; Professor of Computer Science and Engineering; Ph.D., Cornell, 1974. Morphological determinants of cell physiology; image-based computational models of cellular biology; spatial variations of cell membrane electrophysiology; new optical methods for probing living cells.

Bruce J. Mayer, Associate Professor of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Ph.D., Rockefeller University, Mechanisms of signal transduction.

William A. Mohler, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Genetics and Developmental Biology. Developmental cell fusion; C. elegans genetics; multidimensional imaging of developmental and cell biological processes.

Vladimir Rodionov, Assistant Professor of Cell Biology; Ph.D., Moscow State University, 1980. Research in this laboratory is focused on molecular mechanisms of intracellular transport and organization of microtubule cytoskeleton.

Charles Wolgemuth, Associate Professor of Cell Biology; Ph.D., University of Arizona. My research focuses on determining the physical underpinnings of biological processes. My primary interests lie in determining how forces are produced inside cells in order to handle processes such as creating and maintaining cell shape, and driving cell motility and cell growth. Some areas of research include wound healing, cancer metastatsis, and pathogen-host interactions during Lyme disease.

Ji Yu, Assistant Professor of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Ph.D., University of Texas, Austin. Optical imaging technology; regulation mechanisms in dendritic RNA translation; cytoskeletal dynamics.