Aleksandra Nita-Lazar, PhD

Senior Investigator
Cellular Networks Proteomic Unit 

Our research focuses on understanding the changes that occur in the cell proteome in response to exogenous factors such as pathogen-derived molecules, cytokines, and chemokines, which alter the differentiation state of cells in the immune system or whose production characterizes specific disease states. We are especially interested in large-scale absolute quantitative measurements of immune cell signaling cascade components and in the characterization of post-translational modification, protein localization, and complex formation dynamics on a global scale. We use the resulting large datasets to create predictive models of molecular interactions. The predictions of these models will in turn be employed to elucidate biological responses to stimuli at multiple scales of biological organization, including the cell, tissue, and, eventually, whole organism.  We employ mass-spectrometry-based technology together with other proteomic, biochemical and molecular and cell biology methods using state-of-the art equipment and technologies available in our laboratory and at NIH.  

Suggested Penn mentors: Igor Brodsky, Sara Cherry, Christopher Hunter, Sunny Shin, Kai Tan