Jennifer Wang

Jennifer Wang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at Washington University in St. Louis, within the College of Arts & Sciences. She holds a PhD from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and completed postdoctoral research at Stanford University. Her lab focuses on understanding how subcellular compartments, particularly the centrosome-cilium complex, are organized into functional molecular machines. Research questions include the interplay between nanoscale protein assembly and micron-scale organelle function, centrosome duplication, and non-membrane-bound organelle differentiation. Techniques employed include CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, expansion microscopy, and biochemical assays.

Key projects investigate centrosome-cilium structure and function in mammalian cells, with implications for diseases like cancer and ciliopathies. Wang's NIH-funded research (2022) explores molecular mechanisms of centriolar triplet microtubule formation, critical for cell division and signaling. Notable publications include studies on calcineurin's role in cilia length regulation and centriole migration in olfactory epithelium. Her work integrates microscopy innovations (e.g., lattice light sheet microscopy) with genetic approaches to unravel cellular organization principles.

Grants/Awards: NIH Grant (2022) totaling $1.24M. Lab collaborations involve leaders like Dr. Tim Stearns (Stanford) and Dr. Gary Seydoux (Johns Hopkins). Future directions aim to define centrosome formation mechanisms and their dysregulation in disease contexts.