Gary J. Bassell

Gary J. Bassell, Ph.D., is Professor and Chair of the Department of Cell Biology at Emory University School of Medicine. He joined Emory in 2005 after previous faculty appointments at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. His research investigates mRNA transport, local protein synthesis in neurons, and their dysregulation in neurodevelopmental disorders (Fragile X syndrome, autism) and neurodegenerative diseases (ALS, SMA).

Education and Training:
Ph.D. in Cell Biology from University of Massachusetts Medical School; Postdoctoral training at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School.

Research Focus: Mechanisms of mRNA binding proteins, neuronal development, synaptic plasticity, and therapeutic strategies for neurological disorders using mouse models and iPSCs.

Publication Trends (2024-2025): Recent work emphasizes RNA regulation in neuronal function and disease, including FMRP mechanisms, alternative translation, lncRNA in glioma, autophagy regulation, and age-related neuropathology.

Awards and Honors:

• Basal O-Connor Scholar Award (1996)
• Dana Foundation Award in Brain Imaging (2004)
• Trailblazer Award, Autism Speaks (2011)
• NARSAD Distinguished Investigator Award (2013)

Leadership and Teams: Directs the Laboratory of Translational Cell Biology (LTCB); oversees 3 graduate students and multiple postdoctoral fellows. Current NIH grants include R01 and R21 awards for Fragile X and myotonic dystrophy research.