Meghan Morrissey

Meghan Morrissey is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Her research focuses on macrophage signaling and how these immune cells interpret environmental cues to regulate inflammation and phagocytic activity, particularly in cancer contexts. She leads a lab investigating mechanisms of phagocytosis, tumor immune evasion, and novel immunotherapeutic strategies.

Her work integrates biophysical approaches, synthetic biology (e.g., DNA origami), and optogenetic tools to dissect signaling pathways. Notable areas include CD47/SIRPα axis regulation, Rac GTPase dynamics, and peroxisome-Wnt signaling crosstalk. Mentorship is a core priority, reflected in her leadership of UCSB's outreach programs like Students Rising Above, which supports first-generation students.

Recent trends in her publications emphasize phagocytosis modulation via engineered receptors, bacterial protein delivery mechanisms, and cancer cell vulnerability during division. Her lab collaborates across disciplines to advance understanding of macrophage functions in health and disease.

• Lab Members: Includes graduate students (Annalise Bond, Wyatt Miller, Andrew Manion), postdoctoral researchers (Ishwaree Datta), and undergraduate researchers (Andrew Kim, Kathleen Zhang).
• Outreach: Career mentoring for underrepresented students through partnerships with San Francisco-based initiatives.