Jeanette Gowen Cook

Jeanette Gowen Cook is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics at the UNC School of Medicine, with a secondary appointment in the Department of Pharmacology. Her research focuses on cell cycle regulation, particularly the molecular mechanisms governing DNA replication and genome stability in human cells.

• Techniques: Human cell culture, live cell imaging, RNA interference, recombinant DNA technology, protein interaction studies.
• Collaborations: Active partnerships with cell cycle and DNA metabolism labs at UNC and beyond.

Her lab investigates how disruptions in cell cycle control contribute to cancer and developmental disorders. They employ quantitative single-cell analysis and pharmacological inhibition to dissect pathways like APC/C regulation and USP37-MCM interactions. Notably, her work on CDK4/6 inhibitors has implications for cancer therapy.

Scientific Trends: Recent publications highlight cross-disciplinary approaches in genomics, epigenetics, and computational biology, addressing topics such as chromatin environment effects and ubiquitination in cell cycle control.

The Cook Lab integrates these findings to develop therapeutic strategies for cancer and regenerative medicine, emphasizing precise DNA replication and cell cycle exit mechanisms.