Welcome to the Penn Cell Biology Site

The Penn Program in Cell Biology is an interdisciplinary group of investigators with a common interest in understanding the inner workings of the basic unit of life, the cell. Major research interests include organelle biogenesis, the cytoskeleton and cell motility, protein and lipid trafficking, membrane biology and ion transport, and intracellular signal transduction. The research in our laboratories employs a broad array of organisms, from yeasts to human, and state-of-the-art research tools - microscopy, genomic and proteomic technologies, electrophysiology, biochemistry and molecular biology. In addition to our own research, Penn cell biology faculty foster interdisciplinary research collaborations with colleagues investigating the molecular foundations of human disease, embryonic development, biomedical engineering, and structural biology. The overall goals of the Penn Program in Cell Biology are to continually improve the quality and impact of cell biology research at Penn, to foster the application of cell biological tools and knowledge in diverse areas of biomedical research, and to provide a stimulating and challenging environment for the training of students and postdoctoral fellows in cutting edge cell biology research.