Cell biology is one of the primary disciplines in medical research, influencing all areas of basic and clinical investigation. The future holds great opportunities in cell biology research due to inventories of the genes and proteins from which cells are built, new experimental techniques and various model organisms. Further discoveries about the cell biology of human genes will continue to translate into therapeutics. Also on the horizon is a better understanding of how proteins and sets of proteins (e.g., macromolecular complexes) are assembled and integrated to produce function.
The Department of Cell Biology and Physiology is ranked among the top 10 cell biology departments in the country, and the research carried out by its faculty covers a broad range of fields within cellular physiology and molecular cell biology. A unifying theme is the study of fundamental processes and their regulation. These cellular processes include genome maintenance, apoptosis, cell cycle control, dynamic cell motility, angiogenesis, signal transduction and membrane trafficking, presynaptic processes, prion protein misfolding, RNA metabolism, and the structure and function of ion channels. The department's research activities provide a foundation for studies in cancer biology, immunobiology, developmental biology, neurobiology and vascular biology. Its faculty use model organisms as well as human stem cells and a variety of techniques such as deep-etch electron and confocal microscopy to carry out their research. Cellular imaging is a particular strength of the department.
The Department of Cell Biology and Physiology oversees the physiology contents within the Washington University School of Medicine's Gateway curriculum, which is designed to provide first-year medical students with a foundation for their further study of clinical and applied physiology. The Molecular Cell Biology course for first-year graduate students conveys an understanding of fundamental cell biology research strategies and principles. In addition, advanced courses open to medical and graduate students provide for more detailed study of specific areas of cell biology, physiology and cellular biophysics.
Contact Info
| Website: | http://cellbiology.wustl.edu |
David W. Piston, PhD
Department Head
Visit our website for more information about our faculty and their appointments.
A
Ghazaleh Ashrafi, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology (primary appointment)
Associate Professor of Genetics
Doctor of Philosophy, Harvard University, 2020
B
Dhaval Paresh Bhatt, M.S., Ph.D., Bachelor
Instructor in Cell Biology and Physiology (primary appointment)
Bachelor's degree, CM College of Pharmacy, 2005
Master of Science, Gujarat University, 2007
Doctor of Philosophy, University of North Dakota, 2013
Kendall Jay Blumer, Ph.D.
Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology (primary appointment)
Bachelor of Arts, Rice University, 1977
Doctor of Philosophy, Duke University, 1986
Michael J. Bridge, Ph.D.
Instructor in Cell Biology and Physiology (primary appointment)
Bachelor of Science, Purdue University-Main Campus, 1995
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Utah, 2006
C
Chun-Kan Chen, M.S., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology (primary appointment)
Bachelor of Science, National Taiwan University, 2010
Master of Science, University of Southern California, 2013
Doctor of Philosophy, California Institute of Technology, 2017
Clair Lorraine Crewe, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology (primary appointment)
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Bachelor of Science, Oklahoma Christian University, 2009
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 2015
D
Panyue Deng, M.S., Ph.D., M.D.
Associate Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology (primary appointment)
Doctor of Medicine, Hunan Medical University, 1995
Master of Science, University of Science, Malaysia, 2001
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Science, Malaysia, 2004
Lai Kuan Dionne, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Cell Biology & Physiology (primary appointment)
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 2010
F
Ziao Fu, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology (primary appointment)
Doctor of Philosophy, Columbia University, 2019
G
Denis Goldfarb, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology (primary appointment)
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Bachelor of Science, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 2010
Doctor of Philosophy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2019
Subhadra C Gunawardana, M.S., Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology (primary appointment)
Master of Science, Iowa State University, 1995
Doctor of Philosophy, Cornell University, 2002
H
Phyllis I Hanson, Ph.D., M.D.
Voluntary Research Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology
Bachelor of Arts, Yale University, 1985
Doctor of Philosophy, Stanford University, 1993
Doctor of Medicine, Stanford University, 1993
Xueyan He, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology (primary appointment)
Doctor of Philosophy, Nanjing University, 2015
John E Heuser, M.D.
Professor Emeritus of Cell Biology and Physiology
Bachelor of Science, Harvard University, 1964
Doctor of Medicine, Harvard University, 1969
J
Silvia Jansen, M.S., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology (primary appointment)
Master of Science, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 2003
Doctor of Philosophy, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 2007
K
David John Edward Kast, M.S., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology (primary appointment)
Bachelor of Science, University of Minnesota, 2000
Master of Science, University of Minnesota, 2004
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Minnesota, 2018
Vitaly A Klyachko, M.S., Ph.D.
Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology (primary appointment)
Professor of Neuroscience
Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Bachelor of Science, Moscow State University, 1997
Master of Science, Moscow State University, 1998
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Wisconsin Madison, 2002
Kwang Woo Ko, M.S., Ph.D.
Instructor in Cell Biology/Physiology (primary appointment)
Bachelor of Science, Yonsei University, 2004
Master of Science, Gwangju Institute of Science & Technology, 2007
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Texas Austin, 2015
L
Sun Joo Lee, M.S., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology (primary appointment)
Bachelor of Science, Handong Global University, 2000
Master of Science, Gwangju Institute of Science & Technology, 2002
Doctor of Philosophy, Washington University in St Louis, 2010
Polina V. Lishko, M.S., Ph.D.
Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology (primary appointment)
Master of Science, National Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv, 1996
Doctor of Philosophy, Bogomoletz Institute of Physiology of NAS of Ukraine, 2000
M
Michael Benjamin Major, Ph.D.
Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology (primary appointment)
Professor of Otolaryngology
Alan A. and Edith L. Wolff Professorship in Cell Biology and Physiology
Bachelor of Science, Michigan State University, 1997
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Utah, 2004
Grigory Maksaev, M.S., Ph.D.
Instructor in Cell Biology and Physiology (primary appointment)
Master of Science, Moscow Inst of Physics & Techn, 1998
Doctor of Philosophy, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 2002
George Edward Marti, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Cell Biology/Physiology (primary appointment)
Bachelor of Arts, University of California Berkeley, 2007
Doctor of Philosophy, University of California Berkeley, 2014
Jackie Lee Martin, M.A., M.B.A., M.D.
Voluntary Clinical Professor of Anesthesiology
Bachelor of Arts, Howard University, 1976
Master of Arts, Meharry Medical College, 1980
Doctor of Medicine, Meharry Medical College, 1984
Master of Business Administration, John Hopkins University (Duplicate of Johns Hopkins University), 2010
Robert Paul Mecham, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus of Cell Biology and Physiology
Bachelor of Science, University of Utah, 1973
Doctor of Philosophy, Boston University, 1977
Robert W Mercer, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus of Cell Biology and Physiology
Bachelor of Arts, San Jose State University, 1974
Doctor of Philosophy, Syracuse University, 1980
Jongyun Myeong, Ph.D.
Instructor in Cell Biology and Physiology (primary appointment)
Doctor of Philosophy, Seoul National University, 2016
N
Colin G Nichols, Ph.D.
Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology (primary appointment)
Carl F Cori Professor
Bachelor of Science, University of Leeds, 1982
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Leeds, 1985
P
David James Pagliarini, Ph.D.
Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology (primary appointment)
Hugo F. and Ina C. Urbauer Professorship
Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics
Professor of Genetics
Doctor of Philosophy, University of California San Diego, 2005
Giovanni Pauletti, M.S., Ph.D.
Voluntary Research Professor of Anesthesiology
Master of Science, Swiss Fed Inst Tech (EPFL), 1987
Doctor of Philosophy, Swiss Fed Inst Tech (EPFL), 1994
David William Piston, M.S., Ph.D.
Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology (primary appointment)
Edward Mallinckrodt, Jr. Professorship in Cell Biology and Physiology
Head of the Department of Cell Biology and Physiology
Co-Director for Center for Quantum Leaps (CQL)
Bachelor of Science, Grinnell College, 1984
Master of Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1985
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1989
Helen Piwnica-Worms, Ph.D.
Voluntary Research Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology
Bachelor of Arts, Saint Olaf College, 1979
Doctor of Philosophy, Duke University, 1984
Jasmina Profirovic, Ph.D.
Voluntary Research Assistant Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology
Bachelor of Science, University of Belgrade, 1997
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Illinois Chicago (Duplicate of University of Illinois at Chicago), 2005
R
Eduardo Rosa-Molinar, Ph.D.
Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology (primary appointment)
Professor of Neuroscience
Bachelor of Science, University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, 1994
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 1997
S
Philip Damien Stahl, Ph.D.
Edward Mallinckrodt Jr Professor Emeritus
Bachelor of Science, West Liberty State College, 1964
Doctor of Philosophy, West Virginia University, 1967
Sheila Stewart-Wigglesworth, Ph.D.
Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology (primary appointment)
Gerty Cori Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology
Vice Chair - Cell Biology and Physiology
Professor of Medicine
Bachelor of Science, University of Minnesota, 1990
Doctor of Philosophy, University of California Los Angeles, 1996
Amber Nicole Stratman, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology (primary appointment)
Associate Professor of Developmental Biology
Bachelor of Science, Truman State University (Formerly Northeast Missouri State University), 2006
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Missouri Columbia, 2010
T
Heather L. True, M.S., Ph.D.
Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology (primary appointment)
David English Smith Professorship in Medicine
Associate Director of the Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences
Bachelor of Science, University of Wisconsin Madison, 1992
Master of Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1995
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1998
W
Robert S Wilkinson, M.A., Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus of Cell Biology and Physiology
Bachelor of Arts, Rice University, 1968
Master of Arts, University of Texas Austin, 1970
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Texas Austin, 1974
Y
Nathaniel Walter York, Ph.D.
Instructor in Cell Biology and Physiology (primary appointment)
Bachelor of Science, University of Missouri in St Louis, 2013
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Wisconsin Madison, 2018
Zhongsheng You, M.S., Ph.D.
Voluntary Research Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology
Bachelor of Science, Zhejiang University (National Che Kiang University) (浙江大学), 1994
Master of Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, 1997
Doctor of Philosophy, University of California San Diego, 2002
Peng Yuan, Ph.D.
Voluntary Research Associate Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology
Bachelor of Science, University of Science and Technology of China (中国科学技术大学), 1997
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Pennsylvania, 2008
David W. Piston, PhD
Department Head
Visit our website for more information about our faculty and their appointments.
Cell Biology and Physiology Research Electives
During the fourth year, opportunities exist for many varieties of advanced clinical or research experiences.
Ghazaleh Ashrafi, PhD
510 McDonnell Sciences Building
Phone: 314-273-5518
Uncovering novel regulators of glycolytic and mitochondrial metabolism at the synapse and their role in the pathology of Alzheimer's disease.
Kendall J. Blumer, PhD
506 McDonnell Sciences Building
Phone: 314-362-1668
Signaling mechanisms in cardiovascular and neurological disorders.
Chun-Kan Chen, PhD
4614 Cancer Research Building
Phone: 314-273-2787
The Chen lab utilizes multi-omic and high-throughput screening approaches to systematically investigate the regulation and function of circRNA in cells and to develop novel circRNA technologies for translational applications. Signaling mechanisms in cardiovascular and neurological disorders are also studied.
Clair Crewe, PhD
1127 Couch Biomedical Research Building
Phone: 314-362-3240
Understanding extracellular vesicle (EV)-mediated signaling during homeostatic and pathologic metabolic regulation.
Sergej Djuranovic, PhD
4612 Cancer Research Building
Phone: 314-362-9706
Molecular mechanisms of translational control; cellular processes regulated by changes in RNA metabolism.
Ziao Fu, PhD
9610 BJC Institute of Health
Phone: 314-273-4416
The Fu Lab specializes in understanding protein structures in their native environments using cryo-electron microscopy. Current projects explore their roles in membrane organization, trafficking, and responses to mechanical forces, with a particular emphasis on their involvement in pediatric kidney diseases and neurological disorders.
Denis Goldfarb, PhD
406 McDonnell Sciences Building
Phone: 314-273-3669
Computational mass spectrometry, proteomics, and their applications in biology.
Xue-Yan He, PhD
5516 Cancer Research Building
Phone: 314-362-5296
The He Lab is dedicated to advancing knowledge of the mechanisms responsible for colorectal tumor progression, with a specific focus on stress and its influence on the tumor microenvironment.
Silvia Jansen, PhD
4900 South Building
Phone: 314-273-1853
This lab's focus is on elucidating the molecular mechanisms that regulate the architecture, dimensions and dynamics of actin filament networks and then tuning them to support essential cellular functions that range from cell migration and cytokinesis to neurogenesis.
David J. Kast, PhD
4900 South Building
Phone: 314-273-1852
The long-term goal of this lab's research is to understand the fundamental cellular and molecular mechanisms that drive the biogenesis and dynamics of intracellular membrane compartments, including the endocytic vesicles, the endoplasmic reticulum, the Golgi apparatus and the mitochondria.
Vitaly Klyachko, PhD
501 McDonnell Sciences Building
Phone: 314-362-5517
Mechanisms and regulation of neurotransmitter release at individual synapses; functional roles of presynaptic processes in synaptic plasticity and information processing.
Polina Lishko, PhD
1127 Couch Biomedical Research Building
Phone: 314-362-6672
The role of bioactive lipid signaling and bioelectricity in the physiology of the inverted epithelia of the brain and retina. Physiology and pathophysiology of steroid signaling in reproduction, aging and neurodegeneration.
Michael Benjamin Major, PhD
406 McDonnell Sciences Building
Phone: 314-273-3669
The Major lab studies how perturbation of specific signal transduction pathways contributes to the initiation, progression and dissemination of cancer.
Colin G. Nichols, PhD
9611 BJC Institute of Health
Phone: 314-362-6630
Ion channel biology; multiple levels of analysis from the molecular basis of channel function to in vivo physiology and disease.
David J. Pagliarini, PhD
1127 Couch Building
Phone: 314-273-2330
We are an interdisciplinary team of scientists driven to understand the biochemical underpinnings of mitochondrial dysfunction in human diseases. Together, we integrate large-scale methodologies with traditional biochemistry to investigate the modulation, adaptation, and basic metabolic function of mitochondria.
Slavica Pavlovic Djuranovic, PhD
416 McDonnell Sciences Building
Phone: 314-362-6675
Identifying new targets and possible therapies to treat malaria.
David W. Piston, PhD
4912 South Building
Phone: 314-362-9121
The intracellular and intercellular dynamics of cells within the islets of Langerhans play a key role in the regulation of blood glucose levels. The islets are made up of different cell types, but very little is known about the interplay between the different cell types and how this affects their secretion of various hormones. The islets' a-cells secrete insulin in response to increased blood sugar and also in response to neurotransmitters and hormones. Glucagon also plays a key role in blood glucose homeostasis, and it is secreted by the islets' a-cells. High glucose levels inhibit glucagon secretion from a-cells within the islets but not from dispersed a-cells, and the mechanism underlying this phenomenon has not been defined. We use quantitative live cell microscopy to measure single-cell parameters within intact islets held within microfluidic devices in order to expose them to spatially heterogeneous levels of various stimuli. The resulting data are fit using mathematical models of islet functional dynamics, which we are continually modifying to better fit the observed islet physiology.
Sheila A. Stewart, PhD
7610 BJC Institute of Health
Phone: 314-362-7437
Delineation of the molecular mechanisms by which aged stromal cells contribute to tumorigenesis and the molecular mechanisms that ensure high-fidelity telomere replication and genomic stability.
Amber N. Stratman, PhD
416 McDonnell Sciences Building
Phone: 314-273-7928
Mechanisms regulating blood vessel formation, stabilization, and blood flow sensing during development and disease.
Heather L. True-Krob, PhD
413 McDonnell Sciences Building
Phone: 314-362-3934
Biological consequences of yeast prions, in both their capacity to function as novel epigenetic elements and their utility to serve as a tractable model for the analysis of protein misfolding and aggregation that occurs in several neurodegenerative disorders.
Zhongsheng You, PhD
514 McDonnell Sciences Building
Phone: 314-362-9893
Studies of the cellular responses to DNA damage and their cancer relevance, focusing on the functional interplays between the DNA damage checkpoint, DNA repair and chromatin structure.