Michael Marr

Michael Marr is an Associate Professor of Biology at Brandeis University, specializing in mechanisms controlling gene expression. His research spans transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation in metazoan cells, with a focus on Drosophila models.

• University: Brandeis University
• Department: Department of Biology
• Email: mmarr@brandeis.edu

Research Interests
Dr. Marr investigates how cells respond to developmental and environmental signals via changes in gene expression. Key areas include:

• Transcriptional activation by metal-dependent factors (MTF-1) under heavy metal shock
• Post-transcriptional control via insulin receptor pathways and IRES-mediated translation
• Functional coupling of transcription and translation to amplify signaling responses
• Role of co-activators in transcriptional regulation and redundancy analysis

Notable Discoveries
His lab demonstrated that the Drosophila insulin receptor (dINR) utilizes an internal ribosome entry site (IRES) for cap-independent translation, resolving how cells prioritize pathway-specific protein synthesis under stress.

Article Trends
His work focuses on molecular signaling, RNA biology, and transcriptional machinery across genomics, stress response, and developmental biology. Studies often bridge biochemical assays, RNA interference, and translational control mechanisms.

Laboratory
Located at the Rosenstiel Basic Medical Sciences Research Center, his lab employs Drosophila to dissect gene regulatory networks.