Faculty Research

Faculty in the Section of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology pursue fundamental research in many areas, including: 

• Molecular biology of viruses and malignant transformation of animal cells
• Membrane structure and transport mechanisms in bacteria and animal cells
• Mechanism and regulation of DNA replication in yeasts, bacteria, plasmids, and bacteriophages
• Site specific recombination in bacteria and yeast
• Gene expression and developmental control mechanisms
• Immunological mechanisms and regulation of antibody expression
• Molecular genetics, cell biology and physiology of yeast and fungi
• Host-parasite relationships and molecular basis of pathogenicity

Research in these areas combines molecular, genetic, and biochemical approaches. The model systems in use cover a broad range including both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, plasmids, bacteriophages, bacteria, yeast, animal viruses, animal and plant cells. 

Specific areas of interest for each of our research faculty are indicated below. For more information about an individual faculty member, click on his/her name.

Karen Artzt	Mammalian developmental genetics
Henry R. Bose, Jr.	Malignant transformation of cells by reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV-T)
R. Malcolm Brown, Jr.	Biosynthesis of cellulose; Golgi structure/function; High resolution light and electron microscopy
Clarence C.S. Chan	Control of yeast chromosome segregation, polarized cell growth, and signal transduction
Jaquelin P. Dudley	Transcription regulation and oncogenesis
Charles F. Earhart	Microbial physiology and genetics; Biotechnology
Ellen Gottlieb	RNA trafficking; Molecular basis of morphogenesis; Cell polarity
Rasika M. Harshey	DNA Transposition and Signal Transduction
Jon Huibregtse	Ubiquitin proteolysis system
Vishwanath Iyer	Genomics, genome-wide transcriptional programs and mechanisms, microarray technology
Makkuni Jayaram	Site-specific DNA recombination; Molecular symbiosis in yeast
Arlen W. Johnson	mRNA degradation in yeast
Robert M. Krug	Viral gene expression and replication
Alan M. Lambowitz	Gene expression, RNA splicing, catalytic RNAs, and retroviral-like genetic elements in eukaryotes
Richard J. Meyer	Replication and conjugal transfer of broad host-range plasmids
Ian J. Molineux	Bacteriophage and host-parasite interactions
Shelley M. Payne	Pathogenic mechanisms of Shigella, E. coli, and Vibrio cholerae; Genetics of bacterial iron transport systems
Tanya Paull	DNA repair and genomic stability
Bob G. Sanders	The role of vitamin E as a biological response modifier. Cellular/molecular mechanisms of vitamin E's actions as an immunomodulator and tumor cell growth
Scott W. Stevens	Processing and metabolism of RNA in eukaryotes.
Paul J. Szaniszlo	Fungal cellular development
Ming Tian	DNA recombination events involved in generating antibody diversity in B cells
Philip W. Tucker	Molecular mechanisms controlling gene expression
James R. Walker	DNA replication in bacteria; Gene expression regulation