Barbara Mellone

Barbara Mellone is a Professor in the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology / Genetics and Genomics at the University of Connecticut. She leads the Mellone Lab, which focuses on understanding how genetic information is accurately passed from one cell generation to the next through the study of centromeres.

Her research interests include:

• Centromere biology and function
• Chromosome segregation mechanisms
• Genetic and epigenetic regulation of centromeres
• Evolution of centromeres across species
• Using Drosophila melanogaster as a model system for chromosome studies
• Connections between chromosome segregation errors and human diseases like cancer

Professor Mellone's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on centromere structure and function, particularly examining CENP-A chromatin, centromere assembly factors like CAL1, and the evolutionary aspects of centromere biology. Her work combines genetic, molecular, and evolutionary approaches to unravel the fundamental mechanisms of chromosome inheritance.

Her laboratory has made significant contributions to understanding how centromeres are built, maintained, and evolve, with implications for human diseases associated with chromosome segregation errors.