Christopher Yengo

Dr. Christopher Yengo serves as Professor and Chair in the Department of Cell and Biological Systems. His research focuses on molecular motor proteins (e.g., myosins) and their roles in human diseases like cardiomyopathy and deafness. Key areas include cardiac myosin structure-function relationships, actin cytoskeleton dynamics, and therapeutic strategies for actomyosin-related disorders.

He has received grants from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and National Eye Institute (NEI), including projects on cardiomyopathy mutations and myosin III’s role in stereocilia maintenance. Notable awards include the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching (2022) and Distinguished Educator Award (2021).

Recent work explores how mutations in β-cardiac myosin disrupt ATPase cycles and how drugs can counteract these effects. Collaborations involve structural biology, biophysics, and cell biology approaches to understand motor protein dysfunction in diseases like diabetic cardiomyopathy and delayed-onset deafness.