James E. Bear

James E. Bear, PhD, is a Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology and Pharmacology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine. He is also a member of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and serves as Co-Leader of the Cancer Cell Biology Research Program. Dr. Bear has been at UNC-Chapel Hill since 2003, rising from assistant professor to full professor, and became co-leader of the Cancer Cell Biology Program in 2014. He is also the founding faculty advisor of the Hooker Imaging Core.

Dr. Bear is a cell biologist specializing in the regulation of actin dynamics, directional cell motility, and invasive tumor cell behavior. His research leverages expertise in multiple imaging modalities, including quantitative live-cell microscopy and intravital imaging of tumors using multi-photon microscopy. His work bridges fundamental cell biological processes with cancer research, particularly focusing on how cytoskeletal dynamics influence tumor cell invasion and metastasis.

His publication record demonstrates consistent contributions to understanding cytoskeletal dynamics, with recent work expanding into mitochondrial function and the interplay between different cytoskeletal components. His research shows a clear trajectory from fundamental mechanisms of actin regulation to their implications in cancer biology.

• Jeffrey Houpt Distinguished Investigator Award, 2017
• Omicron Delta Kappa, Honoris Causa, Davidson College circle, 2015
• Ruth and Phillip Hettleman Prize for Artistic and Scholarly Achievement, 2010
• HHMI Early Career Scientist, 2009-2015
• Jefferson-Pilot Award, 2008

Dr. Bear has trained 10 PhD students and 9 postdoctoral fellows over the past 15 years, with three of his former trainees now holding faculty positions. His laboratory, part of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, utilizes advanced imaging techniques to study cytoskeletal dynamics in both normal and cancerous cells. The Hooker Imaging Core, which he helped establish, provides cutting-edge imaging resources for cancer researchers across the institution.