Margaret Stratton

Margaret Stratton is an Associate Professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, affiliated with the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Her research focuses on the molecular mechanisms of memory formation, particularly the role of CaMKII (calcium-calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II) in synaptic plasticity and long-term memory. She employs biochemical, biophysical, and cellular techniques to explore protein regulation and signaling pathways.

Education:

• PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University
• Postdoctoral Training, University of California, Berkeley

Her research bridges animal-level and molecular-level studies to understand how CaMKII's structural properties enable memory persistence. Key areas include subunit exchange, frequency activation, and downstream effector interactions. She has received NIH grants (R01 AG019391, R01 AG025440, R01 GM069755) to advance these studies.

Stratton's work has led to the development of biosensors like FRESCA for live-cell CaMKII activity monitoring and insights into proteins such as Arc that form virus-like capsids. She leads the Stratton Lab, which also investigates therapeutic pathways in diseases like triple-negative breast cancer and neurodevelopmental conditions.