Rick Baker

Rick Baker, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine. He is a member of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and serves as the Community Engagement Committee Chair for Curriculum and Scholarship. Dr. Baker leads the Baker Lab, which focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms of membrane trafficking, particularly endocytosis and exocytosis.

Dr. Baker received his PhD from Princeton University. His educational background includes:

• PhD in Molecular Biology from Princeton University

Dr. Baker's research centers on the molecular mechanisms of membrane trafficking, with a particular emphasis on how recycling of cell surface receptors is regulated. His lab uses biochemical reconstitution, single-molecule biophysics, and high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy to understand how cellular machinery controls the composition of the cell surface. Subversion of membrane trafficking is implicated in various human diseases, especially cancer, where precise control of therapeutic targets like GPCRs and receptor tyrosine kinases at the plasma membrane is crucial. His work bridges structural biology, cell biology, and cancer research.

Analysis of Dr. Baker's recent publications reveals a strong focus on structural biology approaches to understand membrane trafficking mechanisms. His work heavily utilizes cryo-EM to study protein complexes involved in vesicle budding and fusion. There's a clear progression from fundamental mechanisms of SNARE assembly and clathrin-mediated endocytosis toward understanding how these processes relate to human diseases, particularly cancer. His research increasingly incorporates interdisciplinary approaches, collaborating with groups using model systems like Saccharomyces and C. elegans.

Dr. Baker has received notable scientific recognition:

• Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship (2016-2019)
• NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (2011-2014)

Dr. Baker is actively accepting students into his lab and is committed to providing a safe and inclusive training environment that celebrates diverse backgrounds and viewpoints. His research is supported by various grants, though specific funding sources aren't detailed in the provided text. He collaborates extensively with multiple research groups, using diverse model systems and experimental approaches including unbiased genetic screens, fitness assays, and live cell microscopy.

The Baker Lab, located in the Genetic Medicine Building at UNC Chapel Hill, is at the forefront of structural studies of membrane trafficking machinery. The lab employs a multidisciplinary approach combining high-resolution cryo-EM, X-ray crystallography, single-molecule TIRF, and biochemical reconstitution. They are also involved in cryo-EM methods development, particularly for studying membrane-bound proteins. The lab collaborates with several research groups working with model systems including Saccharomyces and C. elegans.