Maurine Linder

Maurine Linder is a Professor and Chair in the Department of Molecular Medicine at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, with prior roles at Washington University School of Medicine and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Her research focuses on protein S-palmitoylation, a reversible post-translational modification regulated by DHHC enzymes, and its roles in membrane association, protein trafficking, and X-linked intellectual disability.

• Education:
  • PhD in Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Texas at Dallas (1987)
  • Medical Technology Internship, St. Joseph Mercy Hospital (1977)
  • BSc in Medical Technology, Michigan State University (1976)

Her work has revealed the catalytic mechanisms of DHHC proteins and identified alternative CaaX processing pathways for GTPases like Cdc42. She leads studies on ZDHHC9 knockout mice to understand substrates and behavioral impacts in syndromic intellectual disability. Her publications span biochemistry, cancer biology, and neurogenetics, emphasizing lipidation's role in disease. Awards include the 2009 Academic Women’s Network Mentor Award, AAAS Fellow (2009), and American Heart Association recognition (2001-2004).