Ben Myers

Ben Myers is an Associate Professor of Oncological Sciences at the University of Utah, with adjunct appointments in Biomedical Engineering and Biochemistry. His research focuses on signal transduction mechanisms in development and cancer, particularly the Hedgehog pathway and primary cilium biology.

Education:

• A.B. – Harvard University
• Ph.D. – University of California, San Francisco

Research Focus: Dr. Myers leads an interdisciplinary lab investigating how cells communicate across membranes, with emphasis on:

• Hedgehog signaling cascade regulation in tissue development and cancer
• Primary cilium as a signaling hub for nervous, cardiovascular, and musculoskeletal systems
• Lipid-kinase interactions in G protein-coupled receptor pathways

Recent Trends: His recent publications demonstrate a concentrated effort on structural mechanisms of Hedgehog signaling (2024-2025), with key discoveries including GRK2 kinase roles in cilium-mediated signaling and PKA inhibition by Smoothened. Earlier work established foundational understanding of cholesterol-mediated Smoothened activation and structural insights into Hedgehog receptor Patched.

Awards & Recognition: While no specific awards are mentioned in the text, his work appears in high-impact journals including Nature, Cell, and PNAS, with multiple corresponding authorships indicating leadership in the field.

Lab & Collaborations: The Myers Lab at University of Utah's Huntsman Cancer Institute employs cutting-edge techniques including cryo-EM, live-cell imaging, and zebrafish models. Active collaborations span structural biology (with Manglik Lab), proteomics (with Yates Lab), and developmental biology (with Ge Lab).