معرفی
Douglas W. DeSimone is the Ivy Pratt Distinguished Professor of Morphogenesis and Chair of the Department of Cell Biology at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. He earned his BS in Life Sciences from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and PhD in Biology from Dartmouth College, followed by postdoctoral work at MIT with Richard Hynes.
- University: University of Virginia
- School: School of Medicine
- Department: Cell Biology
- Email: desimone@virginia.edu
His research focuses on cell adhesion and adhesion-dependent signaling in vertebrate morphogenesis, using Xenopus laevis embryos to study how mechanical forces and extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions drive tissue organization. Key areas include integrin-ECM dynamics, cadherin signaling, and mechanotransduction during gastrulation and neurulation.
Recent work emphasizes computational modeling of cell migration and mitochondrial mechanosensitivity via α5β1 integrin. His lab has produced 15+ publications since 2009, with 2025 studies on mitochondrial membrane potential regulation and 2024 work on cohesotaxis in tissue geometry.
Scientific Awards
- Ivy Pratt Distinguished Professor of Morphogenesis (2007)
He has mentored students like Gustavo Pacheco (MD/PhD candidate) and Tien Comlekoglu (Medical Scientist Training Program), alongside senior scientists Bette Dzamba and David Shook. The lab maintains a Xenopus colony and explores regenerative medicine applications through fundamental morphogenesis research.
