Cytoskeletal Self-Assembly in Cell Division
Our lab is interested in the structural characterization of complex biological assemblies, their architecture, interactions with different ligands, and the regulation of their function. We are particularly involved in deciphering the molecular bases of cytoskeletal function during cell division and of the molecular machinery involved in essential nucleic acid transactions. To this general aim we use electron microscopy, image analysis, and functional biochemical and biophysical assays.
Structural Basis Of Microtubule Dynamic Instability
Dyamic instability, an essential property of microtubules, is an intrinsic attribute of tubulin linked to the binding and hydrolysis of GTP. We are particularly interested in the structural intermediates in the process of microtubule assembly and disassembly and how they are utilized in the cell... read more
Microtubule-Kinetochore Interface
A growing number of cellular factors are being found to regulate and/or utilize the dynamic behavior of microtubules during the cell cycle. We are studying kinetochore components, such as the Dam1 and Ndc80 complexes, their interaction with microtubules, and their cellular regulation... read more
Septins Structure And Assembly
Septins are conserved GTases defining a new type of cytoskeletal filaments essential in cytokinesis and other membrane-remodeling processes. We are studying the yeast mitotic septins (Cdc3, Cdc10, Cdc11, Cdc12 and Shs1) to define the organization of the septin assembly unit, its polymerization and its regulation... read more
News
2012 Harold M. Weintraub Graduate Student Award
Greg Alushin from our lab has been seleced for a Harold M. Weintraub Graduate Student Award to recognize his outstanding achievement in Graduate Studies.UC Berkeley Bio Physics Graduate Program open for enrollment
The Biophysics Graduate Group is an independent Ph.D. program at UC Berkeley. The program trains graduate students for careers at the interface of the biological and physical sciences
