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Affiliated Faculty

   

Victor Ambros, PhD
Professor
Silverman Chair in Natural Sciences
Program in Molecular Medicine
Silverman Professor of Natural Sciences


To understand the molecular mechanisms of post-transcriptional gene regulation by microRNAs, and how microRNAs function in regulatory networks affecting development and disease. 

   

Eric Baehrecke, PhD
Professor
Our Danny Cancer Fund Chair in Biomedical Research II
Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology


Mechanisms that regulate autophagy, cell survival and programmed cell death in the context of normal and abnormal development. Altered autophagy, cell survival and cell death are associated with a variety of human disorders including cancer.

   

Daniel Bolon, PhD
Professor
Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology


We are broadly interested in the molecular mechanisms of adaptation because of their central role in both biology and disease.

   

Michael Brodsky, PhD
Assistant Professor
Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology


The overall goal of the lab is to understand how animal cells coordinate cell proliferation and cell death during development. 

   

Robert Brown, PhD
Professor
Donna M. and Robert J. Manning Chair in Neurosciences

Neurology


Dr. Brown's laboratory has focused on the identification of gene defects that elucidate the molecular pathogenesis of selected neuromuscular diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease), muscular dystrophy, adrenoleukodystrophy, hereditary neuropathy and hyperkalemic periodic paralysis.

   

Daniel Caffrey, PhD
Associate Professor
Medicine


His research has focused on the use of genomic and computational methods to investigate various aspects of the immune response and host-pathogen.

   

Anthony Carruthers, PhD
Professor Emeritus
Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology


Research in my laboratory is aimed at understanding protein-mediated transport of nutrients and other small molecules across cell membranes.

   

Craig Ceol, PhD
Assistant Professor
Program in Molecular Medicine


Our laboratory seeks to identify the genetic defects that underlie tumor initiation and maintenance and understand the aberrant cellular processes that result from cancer-promoting mutations. 

   

Michael Czech, PhD
Professor Emeritus
Isadore and Fannie Foxman Professor of Medical Research 

Program in Molecular Medicine


His research addresses mechanisms of signal transduction and insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes and obesity. His laboratory has recently applied RNAi to discover novel drug targets and to develop therapeutic strategies for alleviating inflammatory and metabolic diseases.

   

Job Dekker, PhD
Professor
Joseph J. Byrne Chair in Biomedical Research

Systems Biology
Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute


We study how a genome is organized in three dimensions inside the nucleus. The spatial organization of a genome plays important roles in regulation of genes and maintenance of genome stability.

   

Thomas Fazzio, PhD
Professor
Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology


We are interested in the mechanisms by which chromatin structure and chromatin regulatory proteins impact gene expression, self-renewal and differentiation in stem cells. To study these processes, we utilize an array of molecular, cellular, genetic, biochemical and systems level approaches.

     
   

Thomas Houston, MD
Adjunct Professor
Population and Quantitative Health Sciences


My research focus combines my interests in health informatics, communication, and behavioral science.

   

Paul Kaufman, PhD
Professor
Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology


We study several different classes of chromatin proteins used by human cells to regulate chromosome structure and function. We also investigate small molecule probes of pathogenesis mechanisms in the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans.

   

Catarina Kiefe, MD, PhD
Professor
Melvin S. and Sandra L. Cutler Chair in Biomedical Research
Population and Quantitative Health Sciences


As the inaugural chair of the Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, she combines the rigor of mathematics with the needs of clinical medicine. Her vision is to improve health through methodological innovation.

   

Allan Jacobson, PhD
Professor
Gerald L. Haidak, MD, and Zelda S. Haidak Professor in Cell Biology
Microbiology and Physiological Systems


Cytoplasmic Aspects of the Post-transcriptional Regulation of Gene Expression

   

Nathan Lawson, PhD
Professor
Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology


Determining the Signals Responsible for Blood Vessel Development using Zebrafish.

   

Katherine Luzuriaga, MD
Professor
UMass Memorial Health Care Chair in Biomedical Research
 
Program in Molecular Medicine


Research in my laboratory is focused on the viral and immunopathogenesis of persistent viral infections in humans, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Epstein Barr virus (EBV), and cytomegalovirus (CMV).

   

Francesca Massi, PhD
Associate Professor
Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology


The focus of my laboratory is the relationship between structure, stability, and dynamics of proteins.

   

C. Robert Matthews, PhD
Professor Emeritus
Arthur F. and Helen P. Koskinas Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology
Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology


Solving the Protein Folding Problem; Investigation of structures and the dynamics of structural changes in biological molecules in solution, in particular, the mechanisms by which proteins fold to unique conformations.

   

Craig Mello, PhD
Distinguished Professor
Blais University Chair in Molecular Medicine, Co-Director RNA Therapeutics Institute
RNA Therapeutics Institute
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator   


Investigation of the mechanism of RNA interference; investigation of how embryonic cells differentiate and communicate during development.

   

Arthur Mercurio,  PhD
Professor
Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology


We are interested in the initiation and progression of epithelial-derived tumors (carcinomas), especially aggressive, poorly differentiated tumors.

   

Eric Mick, ScD
Associate Professor
Population and Quantitative Health Sciences


His research is focused on identifying genetic susceptibility to disruptive behavior and mood disorders in children, adolescents and adults.

   

Melissa Moore, PhD
Professor
RNA Therapeutics Institute


Her work encompasses a broad array of topics involved in post-transcriptional gene regulation in eukaryotes via mechanisms involving RNA.

   

Oliver Rando, MD, Phd
Professor
Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology


Genomic approaches to chromatin structure and function, and to epigenetic inheritance.

   

Nicholas Rhind, PhD
Professor
Biochemistry and Moleculary Biotechnology


Checkpoint Regulation of the Fission Yeast Cell Cycle.

   

Evgeny Rogaev, PhD
Professor
Psychiatry


Our research is focused on the identification of genes and cellular proteins that play a critical role in normal and pathological aspects of human behavior.

   

Sean Ryder, PhD
Professor
Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology


Post-transcriptional regulation of maternal mRNAs in early development.

   

Christopher Sassetti, PhD
Professor
Microbiology and Physiological Systems


Our group studies the unique physiology of mycobacteria and the infections they cause.

   

Celia Schiffer, PhD
Chair and Professor
Arthur F. and Helen P. Koskinas Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology
Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology


Structural basis for molecular recognition in HIV Protease.

   

Scott Shaffer, PhD
Professor Emeritus
Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnolgy 


Applications of mass spectrometry to protemics, lipids, and small molecules.

   

Neal Silverman, PhD
Professor
Medicine


The main goal of our lab is to decipher the molecular mechanisms responsible for transmitting a signal from the site of infection to the nucleus of an immune responsive cell.

   

William Theurkauf, PhD
Professor
Program in Molecular Medicine


Work in the lab addresses RNA localization and embryonic patterning, the response of mitotic cells to DNA damage, and small RNA function in germline development. Studies combine high resolution imaging, genetic, and molecular approaches in Drosophila and mammalian cultured cell systems.

   

Marian Walhout, PhD
Chair and Professor
Maroun Semaan Chair in Biomedical Research
Systems Biology


We use a variety of experimental and computational systems biology approaches to map and characterize gene regulatory networks and to understand how regulatory circuitry controls animal development, function, and homeostasis. Ultimately, we aim to understand how dysfunctional networks affect or cause diseases like diabetes, obesity and cancer.

   

Scot Wolfe, PhD
Professor
Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology


My work is focused on engineering precise gene editing systems for application in gene therapy and the analysis of gene regulatory networks.

Eviatar Yemini, PhD
Assistant Professor
Neurobiology 


The Yemini Lab investigates how nervous systems change during development and evolution to generate new behaviors. We use cutting-edge tools and a multiscale systems-biology approach to study the genes, circuitry, and neural activity driving behavioral changes. Our findings provide a foundation to understand normal brain development and brain disorders (e.g., autism and intellectual disabilities).

   

Hong Yu, PhD
Adjunct Professor
Population and Quantitative Health Sciences


My research interests ar in the areas of information retrieval, extraction, natural language processing, summarization, human-computer interaction, with a focus on biomedical applications.

   

Phillip Zamore, PhD
Chair and Professor
RNA Therapeutics Institute

Gretchen Stone Cook Professor of Biomedical Sciences 
Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute


We are passionately committed to understanding how small RNAs-small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs),and PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs)-regulate gene expression in plants, fungi, and animals.

   

Lihua (Julie) Zhu, PhD
Professor
Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology


Our areas of greatest interest include data integration and data mining of high-throughput experiments such as ChIP-seq, ChIP-chip and microarrays.