Erika Holzbaur, PhD

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				Erika Holzbaur, Ph.D. Professor of Physiology University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine Department of Physiology D400 Richards Building 3700 Hamilton Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6085 Office phone: (215) 573-3257 Lab phone: (215) 573-3481 Fax: (215) 573-5851 email: holzbaur@mail.med.upenn.edu Click here for selected publications since Dr. Holzbaur's arrival at Penn RESEARCH INTERESTS Microtubule-based motors and their roles in cytoskeletal dynamics, axonal transport, and vesicular motility. RESEARCH TECHNIQUES Molecular analysis of novel protein interactions, cellular studies using live cell microscopy, in vitro motility assays for motor function, generation and analysis of mouse models of neurodegenerative disease. RESEARCH SUMMARY Our laboratory is interested in the mechanisms of microtubule-based motility. This motility is required for basic cellular processes such as vesicle trafficking, and for more specialized functions such as the transport of vesicles along the extended axons and dendrites of the neuron. Our laboratory focuses on the microtubule motors kinesin and cytoplasmic dynein, and proteins that faciliate or regulate transport such as dynactin and huntingtin. Active intracellular transport is essential in higher eukaryotes, yet ibasic mechanisms including coupling to cargo and regulation of bidirectional transport remain to be determined. Currently we are focusing on (1) the mechanisms by which dynein and kinesin drive transport of vesicular cargo; (2) the regulation of bidirectional transport; and (3) exploring the links between defects in axonal transport and the development of neurodegenerative disease. KEY WORDS: Microtubule motors, cytoplasmic dynein, dynactin, kinesin, axonal transport, vesicle trafficking, huntingtin, motor neuron disease.