Research OverviewThe Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, and Stem Cell Differentiation Caenorhabditis elegans, a tiny roundworm, is a model organism for laboratory study. Because the fully developed organism consists of a relatively small number of cells----and because it is possible to trace the lineage of these cells, this organism provides an excellent experimental system for investigation of precisely how stem cells----which have the flexibility to form a variety of specific cells types----differentiate into the specialized cells of the body. These kinds of studies can reveal fundamental mechanisms for stem cell differentiation that apply to other animals, and to human beings. | Research DescriptionResearch Area: Genomics and Proteomics Our laboratory uses a tiny roundworm, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, to investigate fundamental questions in biology. The first project examines the mechanisms that control how specialized (differentiated) cells arise from stem cell precursors. We have identified several genes necessary to convert stem cells into mature sperm, and are currently characterizing their functional roles. The second project seeks to block nematode reproduction by disrupting function of the major sperm protein in fertilization. Nematode infections have tremendous impacts on agriculture and human health, so the development of new modes of control would benefit society. The third project investigates how proteins evolve to confer drug resistance. We are identifying changes in the HSP90 protein that prevent binding of the drug geldanamycin, which is currently in clinical trials as an anticancer therapeutic. Finally, a collaboration with the Moult, Herzberg, and Schwarz laboratories has the goal of improving recombinant protein expression in bacteria.
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