Phospholipid Signaling in Platelet and T-cells
Cardiovascular Metabolism
Control of IGF signaling in muscle
Metabolic and signaling pathways by which nutrient intake can influence longevity, with a particular emphasis on NAD and mTOR
Professor Emeritus, E-C coupling in skeletal muscle
Mechanisms of Cell Polarization, Cytokinesis, and Septin Assembly and Function
Mechanobiology of development and regeneration
Interpret genetic variation and combat global health threats by understanding/exploiting protein dynamics using a combination of biophysical experiments.
Role of the cytoskeleton in T cell function
In situ structural biology, cryo-electron tomography
G-Protein & cell transformations
Mechanical response of cells to applied mechanical stress
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)
Cell and molecular mechanics
Structural Biology and Biochemistry, the Cytoskeleton and the Link Between the Cytoskeleton, Membranes and Signaling
Cell fate mapping, mechanobiology, and tissue engineering of connective tissues
Heart and Muscle Development
Stem cell and gene therapy
Ultrastructure of striated muscle
Relating the structural changes to enzymatic reactions & mechanical steps of the energy transduction mechanism by mapping the motions of proteins & ribosomal elongation factors
Size scaling, spatial organization of cells, cytoskeleton, signaling
Axonal Guidance, axonal de-and-regeneration, motor behavior regulation
Biophysics of cell division
Molecular basis of polarized exocytosis
Visceral myopathy (ACTG2-mutation induced) and enteric nervous system biology
Microtubule-based molecular motors
Cytoskeletal mechanics and signaling
Molecular Characterization of Ion Channels
Physiological role of protein arginylation
Development of neuromuscular specialization
Control of Striated Muscle Mitochondrial Energy Metabolism in Health and Disease
Neuromuscular disease and gene therapy
Regulation of microtubule cytoskeleton architecture and intracellular trafficking, nuclear architecture and nuclear function, and super-resolution microscopy
Chromosome segregation and cell division
Pathogenesis of misfolded neurodegenerative disease proteins
Nicotinic Acelytcholine Receptors
Role of the cytoskeleton in intracellular transport, cellular organization, and muscle physiology
Cell cycle, mitosis, cytokinesis
Cardiac mechanobiology, regulation of contractility, translational heart failure and transplant research
Regulation and diseases of intracellular membrane transport and lysosome-related organelle biogenesis
Musculoskeletal mechanobiology and tissue engineering
Skeletal muscle and cardiac function in normal or diseased conditions
Our research topics are focused on nuclear mechano-sensing of cells that grow and move within dense microenvironments in both homeostasis and disease.
Director of Pennsylvania Muscle Institute, Biochemistry and cell biology of unconventional myosins
Regulation of cytoskeletal dynamics
Muscle-specific gene expression
Cardiac mechanobiology, neurodevelopmental disorders
Biophysics and biochemistry of intrinsically disordered proteins
Metabolism and action of vitamin D in muscle
Design and function of muscular systems for locomotion and sound production, calcium, redox, and mechano-signaling in heart
Control of contractile protein expression
Regulation of actin assembly and cell motility
Cell and Molecular Biology
Understand the basic principles that control the behavior of both engineering and biological systems
Endocytosis, cytoskeleton and biophysics of molecular motors
Remodeling of smooth muscle in disease
Structure-function relationships & mechanisms of tendon & ligament development, injury, healing; evaluate potential treatment modalities for tendon & ligament injuries
Gene therapy for inherited muscle diseases
Mechanisms of cell motility and roles of the cytoskeleton
Contractile protein function, human muscle diseases and gene therapy
Control of Muscle Metabolism by Insulin
Microtubule dynamics and cellular pattern formation
Mathematical modeling in cellular biophysics
Wound repair and regeneration, extracellular matrix scar formation and fibrosis, regenerative medicine cell-based therapies, & tumor microenvironment
Blood coagulation, fibrinolysis, and atherosclerosis
Mechanical and matrix factors in liver fibrosis
Integration of metabolism; Oxidative phosphorylation; Neuroregulation
Structure and function of mammalian centromeres and kinetochores
Structural mechanism of force generation in myosin, genetic mutations associated with heart disease and deafness, physiological mechanisms of contractile dysfunction
Mitochondrial myopathy: nanosensor measurement of muscle O2 levels, new therapeutic strategies involving nutrition and exercise, mechanisms of muscle fatigue
