Cells use an extensive toolkit of myosin motor proteins to traffic materials, anchor components, and control their shape. The focus of our group is to understand biological motion, specifically how motor proteins navigate the cytoskeleton and dynamically organize cells. We use a multifaceted approach, constructing advanced single-molecule fluorescence microscopes and optical tweezers to watch how myosins move in vitro and in whole cells. We also use structural biology tools to understand how myosin architecture and quaternary structure regulates motility.
Stanford University
Palo Alto, CA
Postdoc, Spudich Lab - Biochemistry
2004
Caltech
Pasadena, CA
Ph.D. - Chemistry
1998
University of Chicago
Chicago, IL
B.S. - Chemistry
1992
Design and Use of AsLOV2-Based Optogenetic Tools for Actin Imaging.
Design and Use of AsLOV2-Based Optogenetic Tools for Actin Imaging. Methods Mol Biol. 2025; 2840:89-100.
PMID: 39724346
Hundreds of myosin 10s are pushed to the tips of filopodia and could cause traffic jams on actin.
Hundreds of myosin 10s are pushed to the tips of filopodia and could cause traffic jams on actin. Elife. 2024 Oct 31; 12.
PMID: 39480891
Hundreds of myosin 10s are pushed to the tips of filopodia and could cause traffic jams on actin.
Hundreds of myosin 10s are pushed to the tips of filopodia and could cause traffic jams on actin. bioRxiv. 2024 Aug 15.
PMID: 37425746
Pushed to the edge: hundreds of Myosin 10s pack into filopodia and could cause traffic jams on actin.
Pushed to the edge: hundreds of Myosin 10s pack into filopodia and could cause traffic jams on actin. bioRxiv. 2023 Jun 26.
PMID: 37425746
LILAC: enhanced actin imaging with an optogenetic Lifeact.
LILAC: enhanced actin imaging with an optogenetic Lifeact. Nat Methods. 2023 02; 20(2):214-217.
PMID: 36717692
4-Hydroxyacetophenone modulates the actomyosin cytoskeleton to reduce metastasis.
4-Hydroxyacetophenone modulates the actomyosin cytoskeleton to reduce metastasis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2020 09 08; 117(36):22423-22429.
PMID: 32848073
How Actin Tracks Affect Myosin Motors.
How Actin Tracks Affect Myosin Motors. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2020; 1239:183-197.
PMID: 32451860
Snapshots of a molecular swivel in action.
Snapshots of a molecular swivel in action. Nucleic Acids Res. 2018 06 01; 46(10):5286-5296.
PMID: 29315406
Tail-Anchored Protein Insertion by a Single Get1/2 Heterodimer.
Tail-Anchored Protein Insertion by a Single Get1/2 Heterodimer. Cell Rep. 2017 Sep 05; 20(10):2287-2293.
PMID: 28877464
Investigations of human myosin VI targeting using optogenetically controlled cargo loading.
Investigations of human myosin VI targeting using optogenetically controlled cargo loading. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2017 02 28; 114(9):E1607-E1616.
PMID: 28193860
Burroughs Wellcome Career Award at the Scientific Interface
2002
Helen Hay Whitney Postdoctoral Fellow
1999