Claire Thomas

Claire Thomas is an Associate Professor of Biology and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Pennsylvania State University, serving as Associate Department Head of Climate and Diversity. She holds affiliations with the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences and the Eberly College of Science. Her research focuses on the role of Spectrin proteins in epithelial cell structure/function using Drosophila melanogaster as a model system, funded by the National Science Foundation.

• Education: PhD (University of Edinburgh, 1984), B.S. (University of Sheffield, 1980)
• Postdoctoral Training: Harvard University (1988-1993) and Washington University in St. Louis (1984-1988)

Research Interests include the cortical F-actin cytoskeleton's role in cell polarity, membrane integrity, and growth regulation via the Hippo/MST pathway. Techniques used include genetic approaches, super-resolution microscopy, and biochemical analyses. The Thomas Lab emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration and diversity in science.

Current work integrates membrane area regulation, protein trafficking, and cell polarity mechanisms. Grant support from NSF enables exploration of Spectrin's multifunctional roles in cellular processes. The lab actively seeks enthusiastic researchers to join their multidisciplinary team.

Labs/Teams: Thomas Lab (Instagram: @thomas_lab) focuses on advancing understanding of epithelial cell biology with broad implications for cancer and human health.