Faculty Participating in the REU Program

TIEN-HSIEN CHANG (Molecular Genetics)
Focus: Yeast RNA helicases involved in nuclear pre-mRNA splicing, mRNA export & translation

DONALD H. DEAN (Biochemistry)
Focus: Protein engineering of insecticidal toxins

ANDREA I. DOSEFF (Molecular Genetics)
Focus: Regulation of proteins involved in cell death during innate immune response, cell differentiation and cancer. Signal transduction pathways that control apoptosis during septic shock, inflammation, atherosclerosis and cancer.

SUSAN COLE (Molecular Genetics)
Focus: Roles of fringe genes and Notch signaling during development. Analysis of cyclic mRNA expression during somitogenesis: linking the Notch pathway and the segmentation clock.

HAROLD FISK (Molecular Genetics)
Focus: Centrosome duplication, cell cycle regulation, mitotic spindle assembly.

MARK P. FOSTER (Biochemistry)
Focus: Elucidation of structural and dynamic aspects of molecular recognition and assembly using a variety of biochemical and biophysical tools, with emphasis on NMR spectroscopy

VENKAT GOPALAN (Biochemistry)
Focus: Biochemistry of RNase P, a catalytic ribonucleoprotein complex; design of RNase P-based approaches for down-regulating gene expression

GUSTAVO W. LEONE (Molecular Genetics)
Focus: The RB/E2F pathway in cellular differentiation and in cancer

STEPHEN OSMANI (Molecular Genetics)
Focus: Cell Cycle Regulation and Development

JENNIFER OTTESEN (Biochemistry)
Focus: Investigation of molecular mechanisms governing nuclear translocation of proteins using a host of  bioorganic and biophysical techniques including protein semi-synthesis

HAY-OAK PARK (Molecular Genetics)
Focus: Regulation of Cell growth and oriented cell division; oxidative stress response

DEBBIE PARRIS ( Department of Molecular Virology, Immunology, and Medical Genetics )
Focus: Herpes simplex virus DNA replication-mechanism for initiation by the origin binding protein and mechanism by which the DNA polymerase accessoty protein increases processivity

MARK SEEGER (Molecular Genetics)
Focus: Molecular genetic analysis of neuronal development in Drosophila

AMANDA SIMCOX (Molecular Genetics)
Focus: Pattern formation & growth regulation during Drosophila development.

ZUCAI SUO (Biochemistry)
Focus: Kinetic mechanisms of DNA repair and lesion bypass catalyzed by novel DNA polymerase; development of anti-viral and anti-cancer drugs

RICHARD P. SWENSON (Biochemistry)
Focus: Redox cofactor-protein interactions and their role in biological electron transfer, metabolism, detoxification, and pharmacological activity

HARALD E. F. VAESSIN (Molecular Genetics)
Focus: Regulation Of Cell Proliferation And Terminal Differentiation During Neurogenesis

DESH P. S. VERMA (Molecular Genetics)
Focus: Mechanisms of Cell Plate Formation and Stress Regulation in Plant Cells

PENG GEORGE WANG (Biochemistry)
Focus: Biochemistry, chemistry and biotechnology of carbohydrates

MICHAEL WEINSTEIN (Molecular Genetics)
Focus: Role of Transforming Growth Factor Beta (TGFß ) and Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) in mammalian embryogenesis, tumorigenesis, and lung development.

ZHENGRONG JUSTIN WU (Biochemistry)
Focus: High-resolution structural studies to establish protein function and mechanism