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Duojia PanView profile

Professor

• Molecular Biology
• Cell Signaling
• Growth Control
• +8 more

Duojia Pan is a Professor and Chairman of the Department of Physiology at UT Southwestern Medical Center, School of Medicine. He has held prominent academic positions at both Johns Hopkins and UT Southwestern, and is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Investigator. His research is centered on molecular mechanisms of growth control and tissue homeostasis, with major contributions to the understanding of the Hippo signaling pathway and its role in cancer and development. Peking University, B.S. in Biochemistry (1988) University of California, Los Angeles, Ph.D. (1993) Postdoctoral Training, University of California, Berkeley, with Dr. Gerald Rubin Dr. Pan's research focuses on the Hippo signaling pathway , a conserved regulator of organ size and tissue growth. His lab pioneered the genetic dissection of this pathway in Drosophila and established its critical role in mammalian systems, including tumorigenesis and regeneration. Additional work elucidated the Tsc1/Tsc2 tumor suppressors and their regulation of mTOR signaling, providing a molecular basis for mTOR inhibitor therapies in Tuberous Sclerosis. The Pan Lab continues to explore Hippo pathway regulation, evolution, and novel growth control mechanisms via forward genetics and biochemical approaches. The 15 most recent publications reveal a strong focus on the mechanistic regulation of the Hippo pathway , including phase separation, mechanical cues, evolutionary origins, and transcriptional outputs. Recent work extends into epigenetics, immunology, and metabolism, highlighting the pathway's broad relevance in development, regeneration, and cancer. Key themes include YAP/TAZ regulation, biomolecular condensates, and the role of Hippo signaling in unicellular relatives of animals, suggesting deep evolutionary roots. Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Investigator (2008) Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (2012) Paul Marks Prize for Cancer Research (2013) Passano Award (2022) Elected to the National Academy of Sciences (2023) Dr. Pan has led major research programs funded by the NIH, HHMI, and other agencies. He has mentored numerous trainees and built a world-renowned research laboratory. As Chairman of Physiology, he oversees academic and research operations in the department. His lab continues to pursue forward genetic screens to discover novel growth regulators and to investigate the therapeutic targeting of the Hippo pathway in cancer. The Pan Lab at UT Southwestern is a leading center for Hippo signaling research, utilizing Drosophila genetics, mammalian models, and biochemical approaches to dissect growth control mechanisms. The lab has made seminal contributions to the field and remains at the forefront of discovery in tissue homeostasis and cancer biology.

• Applied mathematics
• Mathematical biology
• Biomechanics
• +10 more

Chiara Giverso is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences "G. L. Lagrange" (DISMA) at Politecnico di Torino, Italy, where she also serves as the Academic Advisor for the Mathematical Engineering Master’s program. Her research is centered on applied mathematics with a focus on mathematical modeling in biomedical contexts, particularly in biomechanics, tumor growth, and cell migration. University: Politecnico di Torino Department: Department of Mathematical Sciences "G. L. Lagrange" (DISMA) Academic Rank: Associate Professor Email: chiara.giverso@polito.it Her research interests include applied mathematics, mathematical biology, biomechanics, mechanobiology, cell migration, and tumor growth modeling. She applies advanced mathematical frameworks—such as poroelasticity, nonlinear mechanics, and continuum mechanics—to understand complex biological phenomena like solid tumor progression and cellular responses to mechanical cues. The recent publications (2022–2024) reflect a strong trend in modeling brain tumor growth using imaging-informed mechanical frameworks, cell orientation under mechanical stretch, and multiscale modeling of tissue perfusion and angiogenesis. These works integrate mechanics, nutrient transport, and phenotypic evolution, often employing finite element methods and non-local PDEs to simulate biological behavior. Chiara Giverso is actively involved in competitive research projects, including the ANATOMY project (2023–2026), a nationally funded PRIN initiative aimed at developing a unified mathematical framework for modeling muscular dystrophies. She supervises PhD students such as Gabriele Fioretto and Francesca Ballatore, whose thesis work focuses on brain tumor modeling and cell migration. She teaches a range of courses across engineering disciplines, including: Mathematical Models for Biomedicine (Master’s level, Mathematical Engineering) Computational Modeling for Biomedicine Laboratory (Biomedical Engineering) Linear Algebra and Geometry (Aerospace, Management, and Computer Science Engineering) Probability and Mathematical Statistics (Architecture) She is a member of the research group "Models and Methods of Mathematical Physics" at DISMA and contributes to interdisciplinary research aligned with SDG Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being.

Bryan PhillipsView profile

Professor

• Cell and Developmental Biology
• Genetics
• Wnt Signaling Pathway
• +3 more

Bryan Phillips is a Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Iowa, where he conducts research on cell fate determination and developmental biology using C. elegans as a model organism. His work focuses on understanding how a single undifferentiated oocyte develops into a multicellular organism with numerous, intricately connected cell types through precise molecular mechanisms. Dr. Phillips received his PhD from Texas A&M University. His research primarily investigates the molecular mechanisms of cell-to-cell communication during development, with a particular emphasis on the Wnt signaling pathway and its role in asymmetric cell division where a polarized mother cell generates two daughter cells with different fate determinants. Dr. Phillips' laboratory examines how the Wnt signaling pathway regulates cell fate through β-catenin, with a special focus on SYS-1, a β-catenin homolog in C. elegans that shares structural and functional similarities with vertebrate β-catenin. His research explores how centrosomes, protein degradation mechanisms, and gene duplication events contribute to the regulation of asymmetric cell divisions. The lab's work bridges molecular, cellular, and developmental biology to address fundamental questions about why animal cells differentiate the way they do, with implications for developmental defects and diseases like cancer where Wnt signaling is often misregulated. Analysis of Dr. Phillips' publication record reveals a consistent research trajectory focused on Wnt signaling, β-catenin regulation, and asymmetric cell division across 15 recent publications (2015-2025). His work demonstrates how conserved molecular mechanisms control cell fate determination, with particular attention to the SYS-1 protein and its regulation through centrosomal localization, proteasomal degradation, and transcriptional activation. The research spans multiple levels of investigation from protein structure and evolutionary analysis to developmental processes in a whole organism. Dr. Phillips' laboratory is actively recruiting graduate students through multiple programs including the UI Biology Department, the UI Genetics Program, the UI Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, and the UI Biosciences Program. His research facilities are located in the Biology Building East (BBE) at the University of Iowa, where he maintains both office space (200 BBE) and laboratory facilities with dedicated phone lines for administrative and research communications.

Felipe CavaView profile

Associate Professor

• Bacterial Cell Wall Biology
• Infectious Diseases
• Microbial Adaptation
• +3 more

Felipe Cava is an Associate Professor and group leader at the Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, and Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS). He serves as Director of the Umeå Hypoxic Research Facility (UHRF) and is affiliated with Icelab at Umeå University. His research focuses on bacterial cell wall biology to combat infectious diseases, investigating how microbes adapt through protective cell wall structures. Key areas include peptidoglycan recycling, cell wall remodeling, and environmental adaptation mechanisms critical for antibiotic development. Analysis of his recent publications reveals dominant themes in peptidoglycan cross-linking diversity, stress response pathways across species like Agrobacterium tumefaciens and Mycobacterium tuberculosis , and evolutionary adaptations in cell wall synthesis. His work bridges fundamental bacteriology with therapeutic applications. His notable awards include: Jaime Ferran Award (2017) from the Spanish Microbiological Society Fernström Prize (2018) Wallenberg Academy Fellowship (2013) As leader of the Cava Lab, he mentors students and researchers in bacterial physiology while directing the UHRF facility. His Wallenberg Fellowship provides critical funding for investigating cell wall dynamics in pathogenic and environmental bacteria. The Cava Lab operates within Umeå University's Hospital area (Plats 6K/6L), utilizing the UHRF for hypoxia studies and MIMS resources for infection-focused research. Current projects examine cell wall variability across bacterial species to identify novel antibiotic targets.

Birgitte RegenbergView profile

Professor

• Molecular Biology
• Genetics
• Circular DNA Research
• +6 more

Birgitte Regenberg is a Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Copenhagen, specifically working within the Ecology and Evolution research area. She leads the Regenberg Group, which focuses on genetic mechanisms for cell-cell variation in eukaryotic cells and their impact on diseases and chromosome evolution. Her laboratory is located at Universitetsparken 15, 2100 København Ø. Professor Regenberg's research has gained significant international attention, particularly for her discovery that circular DNA is not merely a biological curiosity but an abundant carrier of genetic information. Her work demonstrates that DNA circles are produced from all parts of the genome across various eukaryotic species and cell types, including yeast, birds, and human somatic and germline cells. She has shown that these circular DNA molecules contain genes or gene fragments that can be expressed, solving a longstanding question in genetics about the fate of deleted DNA. Her group has developed advanced purification methods, bioinformatics tools, and targeted DNA circularization technologies in yeast and human genotypes, establishing a crucial research model for studying circular DNA's role in disease and evolution. Her current research focuses on four main areas: circular DNA in disease (particularly cancers and neurodegenerative disorders), the factors causing DNA circularization in humans and yeast, measuring the effects of circular DNA on aging using mouse and yeast models, and investigating circular DNA's impact on evolution across yeast and mammals. Beyond circular DNA, her work extends to yeast as a model for biofilm formation, genetic and epigenetic variation, and transitions between uni- and multicellular phenotypes. She has made significant contributions to understanding yeast as a model for social evolution in unicellular eukaryotes, demonstrating the selective advantage of cell differentiation in yeast biofilm colonies and the role of the FLO11 gene in social interactions between yeast cells. Professor Regenberg's research group employs a range of advanced techniques, including hypersensitive purification of circular DNA, next-generation short-read and long-read sequencing, microscopy for visualizing circular DNA, and extensive strain collections and methods in yeast and human genetics. Her work bridges molecular biology, genetics, and evolutionary biology, with significant implications for understanding disease mechanisms and evolutionary processes.

• Molecular Genetics
• Fungal Pathogenesis
• Cell Adhesion
• +4 more

Hans-Ulrich Mösch is a Professor of Genetics in the Department of Biology at Philipps University of Marburg, where he leads the Molecular Genetics research group. He has served in various leadership roles including Dean of the Department of Biology (2017-2019) and Vice Dean (2016-2017). His research group investigates the molecular mechanisms underlying fungal development and pathogenesis, with a focus on cell adhesion, cell wall biogenesis, signal transduction, and transcriptional regulation. His research interests span multiple areas of molecular genetics with emphasis on: Fungal cell wall structure and function Mechanisms of fungal pathogenesis Cell adhesion processes in microorganisms Signal transduction pathways in yeast Transcriptional regulation of developmental processes Analysis of Professor Mösch's recent publications (2014-2022) reveals a consistent focus on the structural and functional aspects of fungal adhesins, particularly in Candida glabrata and other yeast species. His work combines structural biology, biochemistry, and molecular genetics approaches to understand how cell surface proteins mediate fungal adhesion, pathogenesis, and social behaviors. A significant portion of his research examines GPI-anchored proteins and their role in cell wall biogenesis. His scientific contributions include: Structural characterization of fungal adhesins like Flo11 Mechanistic insights into cell wall integrity sensors Understanding how fungi switch between unicellular and multicellular forms Elucidating transcriptional regulation of adhesion and development Professor Mösch advises doctoral candidates including Jonas Andräs and offers numerous teaching courses in the Bachelor of Biology and Master of Molecular and Cellular Biology study programs. His laboratory, located in the Institute Building (K|05) at Karl-von-Frisch-Straße 8 in Marburg, comprises a research team including Dr. Stefan Brückner (Research Fellow) and other doctoral candidates.

David GreenView profile

Researcher

• Microbiology
• Environmental Microbiology
• Marine Biotechnology
• +4 more

David Green is a Molecular Microbiologist at SAMS UHI , affiliated with the Aquaculture Research Network . With over 25 years of research experience, his work spans microbiology, marine biotechnology, and biogeochemistry, focusing on algal-bacterial interactions and bioprospecting for industrial applications. Education: PhD in Detection of Human Enteric Viruses in the Environment, University of Otago (1997) BSc in DNA Probe Development for Escherichia coli Enumeration, University of Otago (1989) Research Interests: Algal microbiome dynamics and holobiont systems Bioprospecting for bacterial polysaccharides and enzymes Mesopelagic microbial communities and biogeochemical processes Applications in bioenergy and sustainable development Scientific Awards: Research Challenge Fund (2002) Scottish Illumina Sequencing Competition (2010) External Engagements: Peer reviewer for multiple journals (2006–present) External examiner for Queen’s University Belfast (2011–present) Media Contributions: Participation in public outreach on marine biotechnology (2006–present)

Jere H. LippsView profile

Professor

• Marine Biology
• Paleontology
• Evolutionary Biology
• +10 more

Jere H. Lipps is a Professor of the Graduate School at the University of California, Berkeley, specializing in marine evolutionary biology and paleontology. His research spans marine protists , particularly foraminifera , with applications in coral reef ecology , environmental history , and astrobiology . He works on molecular phylogeny, taphonomy, and the fossil record to address climate change, mass extinctions, and reef conservation. His publications focus on foraminiferal evolution , reef dynamics , and extraterrestrial habitats . Articles highlight studies in the Pacific Rim, French Polynesia, and the Neoproterozoic, emphasizing photosymbiosis, earthquake history, and planetary science. Collaborative work includes topics like climate change mitigation and scientific education through museums. He contributes to geoheritage and science communication, including books on Lake Merritt and the UCMP. His affiliations include the University of California Museum of Paleontology (UCMP), where he explores fossil site preservation and geotourism applications.

Ned S. WingreenView profile

Professor

• Biological modeling
• Intracellular networks
• Molecular biophysics
• +4 more

Ned S. Wingreen is the Howard A. Prior Professor in the Life Sciences and Professor of Molecular Biology at Princeton University. He serves as Associate Director of the Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics and Director of the Quantitative and Computational Biology Graduate Program. His research focuses on biological modeling, intracellular networks, and molecular biophysics, with major projects on bacterial signaling, biofilm dynamics, and biomolecular condensates. He collaborates extensively with experimental groups such as Bonnie Bassler’s and Zemer Gitai’s labs on topics like quorum sensing and phage-bacteria interactions. Key research interests include microbial communities, phase separation in cells, and systems immunology. Recent work explores how bacterial morphology influences collective behavior and how phage predation shapes microbial ecosystems. His lab develops computational models to analyze phenomena like chemotaxis and cell division accuracy in E. coli and Caulobacter crescentus. Wingreen has pioneered agent-based and continuum models for biofilm lifecycle stages and studies the physics of microbial pattern formation. Publications highlight contributions to understanding bacterial colonization under fluid flow, protein turnover under nitrogen limitation, and phage infection dynamics via M3-Seq sequencing. He has advised over a dozen graduate students in quantitative biology and systems immunology. The Wingreen Lab is affiliated with the Lewis-Sigler Institute and collaborates across disciplines in biophysics, microbiology, and computational biology.

Linda MayerhoferView profile

Lecturer

• Comparative genomics
• Bioinformatics
• Molecular biology of archaea and bacteria
• +2 more

Linda Mayerhofer is a Lecturer in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University at Albany . Her academic work focuses on the molecular biology and genetics of archaea and bacteria, particularly the structure and function of prokaryotic cell surface proteins containing tandem repeat domains. Education: PhD in Biological Sciences, University at Albany Master's thesis on gene encoding differentially expressed cell surface proteins in Methanosarcina mazei S-6, University at Albany Research Interests span comparative genomics, bioinformatics, and the study of conserved DNA/protein motifs. Her work investigates gene organization, expression patterns, and structural properties of archaeal and bacterial cell surface components. Publications highlight her expertise in archaeal genetics, computational genomics, and protein structure-function relationships, with a focus on Methanosarcina mazei S-6 and other extremophiles.

Sebastian BonhoefferView profile

Professor

• Theoretical Biology
• Population Dynamics
• Evolutionary Ecology
• +6 more

Sebastian Bonhoeffer is a Full Professor in Theoretical Biology at ETH Zurich, where he has been serving since July 1, 2005. He is affiliated with the Department of Environmental Systems Science and serves as Head of Collegium Helveticum. His research focuses on using population biological models to understand fundamental biological processes, with particular expertise in mathematical modeling of virus infections within infected individuals, providing important insights into the pathogenesis of viral infections, especially HIV. Prof. Bonhoeffer was born in Tübingen, Germany. His academic journey began with Music studies in Basel, followed by Physics studies in Munich and Vienna. He then moved to Oxford for his PhD with Martin Nowak and Robert May at the Department of Zoology. After completing his PhD, he remained in Oxford as a Research Fellow of Wolfson College and worked as a visiting scientist with David Ho at the Rockefeller University in New York. Prior to his appointment at ETH Zurich in 2001 as an SNF Research Professor, he was a junior group leader at the Friedrich Miescher Institut in Basel. His research interests span theoretical biology, population dynamics, evolutionary ecology of infectious diseases, mathematical modeling of viral infections, and antimicrobial resistance. He has made significant contributions to understanding the population dynamics of virus infections within infected individuals, particularly HIV. His work has provided important insights into the pathogenesis of viral infections and the evolutionary dynamics of pathogens. Prof. Bonhoeffer's recent publications demonstrate a diverse research portfolio spanning microbial ecology, epidemiology, evolutionary biology, and antimicrobial resistance. His work shows a strong focus on applying mathematical and computational approaches to understand complex biological systems, from viral dynamics to microbial communities and pandemic responses. His research often involves interdisciplinary collaborations addressing pressing public health challenges. Prof. Bonhoeffer has supervised numerous students and mentored early-career researchers in theoretical biology and mathematical modeling. His work has been supported by various research grants, though specific details are not provided in the available information. He is actively involved in teaching, offering courses such as "Seminar in Evolutionary Ecology of Infectious Diseases" and "Ecology and Evolution: Term Paper" at ETH Zurich.

Otto CorderoView profile

Associate Professor

• Microbial Ecology
• Evolutionary Biology
• Microbial Community Assembly
• +3 more

Otto Cordero is an Associate Professor with tenure in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). His promotion to this role was effective July 1, 2022. He holds a BSc in Computer Engineering from Escuela Superior Politecnica (Ecuador, 2003), an MSc in Computer Science from the University of Utrecht (2005), and a PhD in Theoretical Biology and Bioinformatics from the University of Utrecht (2009). Research Focus: Cordero investigates the ecology and evolution of microbial communities, emphasizing how microscale interactions impact ecosystem productivity and evolutionary dynamics. His lab studies marine microbial systems—particularly those decomposing complex organic materials—using integrated computational, genomic, and experimental approaches to understand community assembly principles. Publication Trends: Cordero's recent work (2016-2023) centers on microbial community dynamics in marine environments. Key themes include metabolic interactions, phage-bacteria relationships, emergence of multicellularity, and ecological succession. His research bridges theoretical models with empirical validation, often leveraging high-throughput sequencing and ecological theory. Awards: 2023 Simons Investigators in Aquatic Microbial Ecology Lab & Teams: Cordero leads the Cordero Lab at MIT, focusing on microbial communities as distributed metabolic systems. The group develops novel methods to quantify ecological interactions and evolutionary processes in spatially structured environments.

Jan de VriesView profile

Professor

• Plant Evolution
• Comparative Functional Genomics
• Evolutionary Bioinformatics
• +4 more

Prof. Jan de Vries is a University Professor at the Department of Applied Bioinformatics at the Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Göttingen. He holds leadership roles including Speaker of the DFG Priority Program 2237 “MAdLand” and has been awarded prestigious grants like the ERC Starting Grant (2019-2024). His research focuses on plant evolution, comparative genomics, and bioinformatics. Education: B.Sc. Biology, Technical University of Braunschweig (2011) M.Sc. Biology, Uppsala University (2013) Dr. rer. nat., summa cum laude, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (2016) Research Interests: Plant Evolution & Terrestrialization Comparative Functional Genomics Evolutionary Bioinformatics His work bridges genomics, phylogenetics, and environmental adaptation, particularly in streptophytes and algal-plant transitions. Grants & Awards: DFG Research Fellow (2016-2018) DFG Return Grant (2019) ERC Starting Grant (2019-2024) Labs & Teams: Leads the streptophyte research group ( https://streptophytes.com ), affiliated with Göttingen Graduate Center for Neuroscience, Biophysics and Molecular Biosciences (GGNB) in Microbiology and Biochemistry.

Franz HadacekView profile

Associate Professor

• Ecological Biochemistry
• Rhizosphere Biology
• Redox Chemistry
• +1 more

Prof. Franz Hadacek holds dual academic roles: he is an Associate Professor at the University of Vienna’s Department for Chemical Ecology and Ecosystem Research within the Faculty of Life Sciences, and a Private Lecturer in Biochemistry at Georg-August-University Göttingen. His research focuses on Ecological Biochemistry, Rhizosphere Biology, Redox Chemistry, and Coordination Chemistry. He earned his PhD in Botany/Chemistry from the University of Vienna and completed habilitation on secondary metabolites as plant traits. His work bridges plant-microbe interactions, metabolic profiling, and environmental stress responses. Education: PhD Botany/Chemistry, University of Vienna, Austria Habilitation in Botany (Thesis: Secondary Metabolites as Plant Traits) Research Interests: Prof. Hadacek explores plant secondary metabolites’ roles in ecological and biochemical contexts, including redox chemistry’s impact on plant stress responses and microbial interactions in the rhizosphere. His studies integrate metabolomics, plant physiology, and environmental science to understand plant adaptation mechanisms. Publications: His recent work spans plant-soil-atmosphere interactions, drought effects on herbivores, and microbial antagonism mediated by plant metabolites. These studies highlight interdisciplinary approaches in chemical ecology and systems biology. Lab/Teams: Affiliated with the Plant Biochemistry Department at Göttingen and the Chemical Ecology group at Vienna, he collaborates on projects involving root exudates, bioreactor systems, and phytochemical analysis.

• Quorum Sensing (QS)
• Microbial Ecosystems
• Synthetic Biology
• +3 more

Wu Shengbo is an Associate Professor at the Zhejiang Institute of Tianjin University in Shaoxing, leading the Analysis and synthesis of microbial ecosystems team. He holds a B.S. (2015), M.S. (2018), and Ph.D. (2022) from Tianjin University, followed by a postdoctoral stint at the School of Chemical Engineering there (2022–2024). His work pioneered the quorum sensing-based communication network (QSCN) , published in Trends in Microbiology (2021). Affiliations: Department of Engineering Science (Oxford address noted), Gut Microbes journal reviewer Key Roles: Team leader, academic backbone researcher, and grant awardee Research focuses on quorum sensing mechanisms in microbial communities, combining AI, synthetic biology, and systems biology to: Decode QS networks in gut microbiota Engineer stable microbial consortia for disease treatment Analyze QS-driven interactions between microbes and human cells Notable achievements include: Developed QSIdb database for QS interference molecules Published in Nature Communications , Metabolic Engineering , and Chemical Engineering Journal Recipient of National Doctoral Scholarship and Tianjin University's Excellence awards Current projects emphasize QS-based modulation of microbial ecosystems for applications in biotechnology and medicine.