John Colicelli

John Colicelli is a Professor and Vice Chair in the Department of Biological Chemistry at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Medicine. He serves as Co-Director of the Howard Hughes Undergraduate Research Program and is a member of the Brain Research Institute and the JCCC Signal Transduction and Therapeutics Program. His research focuses on molecular signal transduction in cancer biology and neuronal plasticity.

• Education: B.A. in Chemistry (Rutgers University); M.S. and Ph.D. in Biochemistry (Columbia University); Postdoctoral Fellow (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)

Research interests include RAS signaling, tyrosine kinase activation, and the role of RIN1 in regulating oncogenic pathways and neuronal memory formation. His work bridges cancer biology with neuroscience, particularly in understanding how signal transduction affects both disease progression and cognitive functions.

Recent publications highlight his studies on RAS-ABL interactions, endocytic regulation, and the therapeutic implications of targeting signal transduction pathways. Collaborations span structural biology, pharmacology, and virology applications.

Dr. Colicelli teaches cell biology at graduate and undergraduate levels and contributes to academic leadership as a Departmental Vice Chair and member of the School of Medicine Faculty Executive Committee.