معرفی
Kathy Trybus is a Professor in the Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics at the University of Vermont's Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine. She joined the faculty in 1998 after completing her Ph.D. in Biophysics from the University of Chicago in 1981 and conducting postdoctoral research at Brandeis University in Structural Biology.
Dr. Trybus's research focuses on molecular motors, particularly unconventional myosin V and its role in cargo transport along actin filaments. Her laboratory investigates how myosin motors function in cellular contexts, with special emphasis on processive movement mechanisms, cargo transport regulation, and the molecular basis of vascular diseases caused by smooth muscle actin mutations. Her work combines single-molecule techniques, biochemical analysis, and real-time imaging of actin polymerization.
Analysis of Dr. Trybus's recent publications reveals a strong focus on motor protein mechanics across diverse biological systems. Her work spans from fundamental studies of myosin and kinesin motors to investigations of malaria parasite motility mechanisms. A recurring theme is how structural elements of motor proteins and their cytoskeletal tracks regulate transport efficiency and specificity in both normal and disease states.
Dr. Trybus leads an active research laboratory with several team members including Carol Bookwalter, Patty Fagnant, Hailong Lu, James Robblee, and Jill MacFarlane. Her work has been supported by numerous research grants that enable her team to employ sophisticated techniques including TIRF microscopy, single-molecule analysis, and biochemical assays to study molecular motor function.
The laboratory is housed in the Health Sciences Research Facility (HSRF) at the University of Vermont, with offices in HSRF 130 and laboratory space in HSRF 133, where they investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying cellular transport processes and their implications for human health and disease.
