Nuclear Architecture & Function Research
The eukaryotic nucleus represents an amazing feat of cellular engineering with more than 2 meters of DNA packaged into each nucleus, large numbers of regulatory factors, a variety of structural proteins and nuclear pores to regulate the entry and exit of proteins and gene products. Faculty are working to understand how this complex organelle is assembled and organized and how its activities are regulated.
Our research focuses on understanding:
- How structural proteins are assembled and how they regulate gene function
- How chromosome territories are organized and re-organized in response to developmental signals
- How specialized compartments of the nucleus function to process RNA
- How DNA adopts alternative conformations and their impact of genome structure and function
Robert Goldman Lab
Our lab investigates the structure and function of intermediate filaments (IF), a major cytoskeletal component that plays a critical role in providing structural and mechanical support to the cell.
Sui Huang Lab
We are seeking to understand the nature and function of a unique nuclear structure, the perinucleolar compartment, and its relationship with the malignant phenotype.
Vipul Shukla Lab
Our research seeks to understand how alternative structural conformations and covalent modifications in DNA regulate functional genomic states during cellular differentiation and malignant transformation.