Daniel Lew

Daniel Lew is a Professor of Biology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), based in the Koch Biology Building. His research focuses on cell polarity, cellular shape determination, and spatial organization mechanisms in fungal systems, particularly using budding yeast as a model. He integrates cell biology, genetics, and computational approaches to study molecular mechanisms underlying cell morphology and organelle distribution.

Education: PhD in Molecular Biology (1990, Rockefeller University); BA in Genetics (1984, University of Cambridge). His lab investigates how cells establish asymmetric structures and coordinate activities during growth, using tools like live-cell imaging and genetic engineering in species such as Aureobasidium pullulans.

Research Interests: Cell Polarity, Cell Shape Regulation, Rho-GTPase Signaling, Feedback Loops in Development, and Fungal Genetics. His work bridges basic science and computational modeling, recently exploring multi-budding yeast systems to understand polarity dynamics and cellular decision-making.

Key Awards: 2008 Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology; 2010 AAAS Fellow; 2019 Duke Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Award. His team's recent studies highlight breakthroughs in understanding polarity site stabilization and genetic engineering techniques for unconventional yeasts.

Labs/Teams: Lead the Lew Lab at MIT, specializing in yeast-based cell polarity research with a focus on systems biology and live-cell analysis. Collaborates extensively with computational biologists (e.g., Timothy Elston) and genetic engineers.