Brooke M. McCartney

Brooke M. McCartney is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University, affiliated with the Mellon College of Science. Her research focuses on cellular mechanisms in Drosophila development, particularly cytoskeletal networks and microbiota-driven growth regulation. She holds a Ph.D. from Duke University and completed postdoctoral training at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Her lab investigates actin and microtubule interactions during oogenesis, as well as Arc1-microbiota collaboration in systemic growth. Key topics include cytoplasmic dumping mechanisms, dynamic actin maintenance, and bacterial contributions to growth signaling. Recent work explores molecular interactions between Drosophila Arc1 and Acetobacter aceti in growth regulation.

Publications highlight discoveries in cytoskeletal crosstalk, microbiota-growth links, and APC protein functions. Current projects aim to elucidate mechanisms of microbiota-dependent growth modulation and the role of diet in these interactions.

McCartney’s lab operates within the Biological Sciences Department at CMU, contributing to interdisciplinary research at the intersection of cell biology, developmental genetics, and microbiology.