معرفی
David Van Vactor is a Professor of Cell Biology at Harvard Medical School (HMS), affiliated with the Blavatnik Institute. He serves as Director of the Biological and Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program and the HMS Curriculum Fellows program. Additionally, he holds a Visiting Professor position at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST). His research focuses on neuromuscular connectivity and synaptic plasticity using Drosophila as a model system, with particular emphasis on microRNA regulation of synaptic development and disease mechanisms.
Education: B.A. in Behavioral Biology from Johns Hopkins University, Ph.D. in Biological Chemistry from UCLA, followed by postdoctoral research at UC Berkeley.
Research Interests: The Van Vactor Lab investigates mechanisms governing synaptic morphogenesis and microRNA-dependent pathways in neural systems. Key areas include miRNA regulation of synaptic plasticity, aging-related degeneration, and translational control in neuromuscular junctions. Collaborations with the Artavanis-Tsakonas Lab explore disease models in Drosophila for ALS and neurodegenerative disorders.
Grants/Funding: Active grants include NIH R01NS135403 (microRNA mechanisms in Drosophila synapses) and T32GM145407 (training program leadership). He has held roles as PI/Co-PI in multiple NIH-funded projects since 2016.
Labs/Teams: Leads the Van Vactor Lab at HMS, collaborating extensively with other groups in neuroscience and developmental biology. Serves as Principal Investigator for the Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Dynamics (MCD²) T32 training program.
