Folma Buss

Professor Folma Buss is a Professor in Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Cambridge's Cambridge Institute for Medical Research (CIMR), where she chairs the Graduate Education Committee. She leads an active research group studying myosin motor proteins, nanomachines powering intracellular transport and dynamic processes like muscle contraction. Her work focuses on how motor dysfunction contributes to diseases including deafness, cancer, and neurodegeneration.

Research employs high-resolution microscopy and biophysical techniques to analyze motor behavior in live cells and purified systems. Key research themes include:

• Membrane trafficking and organelle biology
• Intracellular infection mechanisms
• Actin cytoskeleton dynamics
• Selective autophagy pathways
• Disease-linked motor protein mutations

Recent publications (2019-2025) demonstrate strong focus on myosin functions in spermiogenesis, autophagy, mitochondrial dynamics, and immune signaling. Work frequently integrates structural biology, disease models (e.g., primary aldosteronism), and advanced imaging to dissect motor-cargo interactions.

Major funding sources include the UK Medical Research Council, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, and Wellcome Trust. Professor Buss supervises PhD students and research group members including Sue Arden, Janeska de Jonge, and Genjing Zhao.