Actin cytoskeletal organization and function in differentiating cells in Drosophila

My lab studies the role of the actin cytoskeleton in morphogenesis and cell differentiation and in differentiated cell function. We use Drosophila as a model system to manipulate the actin cytoskeleton using genetic, molecular and cell biological techniques. State-of-the-art in vivo computer-assisted imaging techniques are extensively used in our studies.

The cytoskeleton plays critical roles in normal embryo organization, localization of informational molecules, cell specialization/differentiation, and tissue morphogenesis; thus, our studies provide insight into cellular mechanisms fundamental to multicellular organisms. Since the molecules and processes we study are highly conserved across widely diverged species, the insight we gain is broadly applicable.