Harvard University
Appointed in 2006
Regulation of ribosomal protein gene expression
Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research
Appointed in 2006
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Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research
Appointed in 2006
Stem cell potential and regulation in planarian regeneration
University of Oxford, England
Appointed in 1969
In vitro and in vivo studies of mechanism of tolerance induction
University of California, San Francisco
Appointed in 1971
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University of California, San Francisco
Appointed in 1971
Gene transcription
Yale University
Appointed in 1962
Mechanism of action of acetylcholine
Harvard University
Appointed in 2024
Secretory cell innovation in a symbiotic interaction
Social interactions between distinct species are important at ecological scales yet are mediated at the molecular level by the transfer of biomolecules such as small chemicals and proteins between organisms. Symbiosis is an example of a relationship among species where both species benefit from a social behavior or interaction.
Dr. Trey Scott will examine the symbiotic relationship between butterfly larvae in the Lycaenidae family and ants in Dr. Naomi Pierce’s lab at Harvard University. Lycaenid caterpillars secrete nutritious and psychoactive substances that are ingested by ants. Ants, in return, protect their renewable food source, the caterpillar, during its vulnerable developmental stage. Dr. Scott will determine the molecular, cellular, and evolutionary bases for this example of symbiosis. Scott’s research will provide novel insight into social interactions, broadly speaking, including their evolution.
Scott examined social interactions as a graduate student in Dr. Joan Strassmann’s and Dr. David Queller’s labs at Washington University. Although the above example of symbiosis between ants and Lycaenid butterflies is relatively straightforward, most examples of social interactions contain context-dependent elements of both cooperation and conflict. Using Dictyostelium discoideum amoebae and Paraburkholderia bacteria as a model for social interactions, Scott discovered that the bacteria may benefit or be harmed by the amoebae depending on current environmental conditions – in this case, rainfall. Scott proposed that this flexibility helps the amoebae host survive in harsh soils with variable prey. Furthermore, Scott showed how long-term social interactions influence evolutionary adaptation. With this extensive background in social interactions, Scott is poised to make breakthroughs investigating the evolution of symbiosis between butterflies and ants during his postdoctoral research.
University of Cincinnati
Appointed in 1990
Construction of an experimental neurocristopathy
Institut de Chimie Biologique, France
Appointed in 1973
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Institut de Chimie Biologique, France
Appointed in 1973
Hormonal regulation of transcription of a gene
Stanford University
Appointed in 1970
Isolation and characterization of DNA polymerases
University of California, Berkeley
Appointed in 1989
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University of California, Berkeley
Appointed in 1989
Cell recognition during neuronal development
Stanford University
Appointed in 1974
Magnetic resonance of ribonuclease folding
University of Oregon
Appointed in 1993
Elements involved in tissue-specific gene expression
Harvard University Medical School
Appointed in 2016
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Harvard University Medical School
Appointed in 2016
Mechanism of incision-independent interstrand cross-link repair
Harvard University
Appointed in 2021
Spatial transcriptomic and neural activity imaging approaches to state-dependent behavior circuits
The periaqueductal grey (PAG) plays a critical role in the generation of complex social and defensive behaviors. However, the mechanisms by which transcriptionally distinct cell types and their neural dynamics within the PAG are organized to produce these behaviors are poorly understood. In this study, we used miniaturized 2-photon microscopy to record the neural activity of the PAG in behaving mice as they engaged in social and defensive behaviors. We aim to combine this information with imaging-based spatial transcriptomics, to better understand how the gene expression patterns of different neurons contribute to the functional organization of the PAG, and the regulation of social and defensive behaviors.
University of California, Berkeley
Appointed in 1996
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University of California, Berkeley
Appointed in 1996
Cell fate specification in Drosophila eye development
Carnegie Institute for Science
Appointed in 1981
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Carnegie Institute for Science
Appointed in 1981
Differential regulation of 5S rRNA genes in Xenopus
Rockefeller University
Appointed in 1994
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Rockefeller University
Appointed in 1994
Structural studies of RNA polymerase using mutants
Columbia University
Appointed in 1997
Sensory coding in the vomeronasal pathway
Harvard University
Appointed in 1995
Re-export of proteins of the endoplasmic reticulum membrane into the cytosol
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Appointed in 1966
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Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Appointed in 1966
Mechanisms of mitochondrial replication
Institut Pasteur, France /
Harvard University
Appointed in 1967
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Institut Pasteur, France / Harvard University
Appointed in 1967
Regulation of growth; regulation of DNA synthesis in E. coli
Harvard University /
Broad Institute
Appointed in 2011
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Harvard University / Broad Institute
Appointed in 2011
Structure and function of large non-coding RNAs regulated by p53
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Appointed in 2012
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Appointed in 2012
Epigenetic events in cancer
University of California, Berkeley
Appointed in 2017
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University of California, Berkeley
Appointed in 2017
Defining the protective role of the mitochondrial stress response in aging
Aging is a risk factor for nearly every chronic disease, and organismal health in aging and age-related disorders is increasingly linked to mitochondrial health. A key contributor to age-related mitochondrial dysfunction is the accumulation of misfolded proteins (or proteotoxic stress). Recent evidence has shown how proteotoxic stress can activate the unfolded protein response in mitochondria (UPRmt), a conserved stress response pathway critical for regulating longevity. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying UPRmt activation and lifespan extension during aging remain unknown. The objective of this proposal is to_x000D_
identify a framework for how mitochondria recognize and respond to proteotoxic stress, which will inform how stress response mechanisms become compromised during aging. First, we will investigate how age associated proteotoxic stress activates the UPRmt and how this mechanism becomes compromised during aging. Secondly, we will conduct a focused RNAi screen to discover novel downstream effectors of the UPRmt that are essential for protecting lifespan upon proteotoxic stress. By establishing the relationship between the UPRmt and proteotoxic stress in aging, we will gain a fundamental understanding of the molecular basis of mitochondrial aging. This will establish new realms of therapeutic intervention that directly target the underlying cause of nearly every chronic disease – getting older.
Columbia University
Appointed in 2005
Regulation of exocytosis
Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Appointed in 1999
Eosinophils, DNA damage and breast cancer
Harvard University
Appointed in 1988
Molecular analysis of chromosomal imprinting in mice
Stanford University
Appointed in 1973
Nature of SV40-induced T antigen
University of California, San Francisco
Appointed in 2001
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University of California, San Francisco
Appointed in 2001
Biochemical analysis of mRNA localization in yeast
University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus
Appointed in 2019
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University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus
Appointed in 2019
Structural Basis for Noncanonical Translation Initiation in Viruses
My postdoctoral research is focused on structured viral RNAs involved in enhancing translation of viral proteins. Some of the RNAs I’m studying are able to induce a reinitiation event within the viral RNA genome through specific interactions with the ribosome. My research focuses on the determining the molecular interactions that enable this RNA structure to promote translation activity at downstream open reading frames following a translation termination event. Another set of RNAs I’m studying are found primarily in plant viruses and mimic cellular tRNAs. Previous and ongoing studies in the Kieft lab aim to determine how different examples of these tRNA-like structures fold, the structural and functional differences between different classes and subtypes, and how these RNAs enhance viral translation.
University of Oregon
Appointed in 1990
Crystallographic studies of the BirA protein
National Institute for Medical Research, England
Appointed in 1979
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National Institute for Medical Research, England
Appointed in 1979
Molecular mechanisms in the B-thelassemias
University of California, Berkeley
Appointed in 2023
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University of California, Berkeley
Appointed in 2023
Predicting the speed and accuracy of CRISPR-Cas genome editing
CRISPR-Cas enzymes are versatile tools for gene editing and research applications such as transcriptional regulation and imaging. The speed and accuracy of CRISPR-Cas enzymes are crucial, yet how they identify a unique ~ 20-base-pair target within billions of base pairs in the genome is still unclear. Dr. Honglue Shi aims to obtain a more quantitative and predictive understanding of how natural and engineered CRISPR-Cas enzymes rapidly and accurately target specific DNA sequences in Dr. Jennifer Doudna’s lab at the University of California, Berkeley. Shi will use structure-guided biochemistry to develop a kinetic model for CRISPR-Cas9 search speed and accuracy. He will then test the generality of the model on additional CRISPR enzymes and ancestral RNA-guided TnpB enzymes. This research is fundamental to understanding both the evolutionary history of RNA-guided enzymes and the utility of these systems for genome editing. In the future, these results will enable predictions and design of genome editing functions that are not possible or practical today and will greatly accelerate the field as well as the precision and outcomes of next-generation genome editing tools.
As a Ph.D. student in Dr. Hashim Al-Hashimi’s lab at Duke University, Shi focused on the development of biophysical approaches such as NMR spectroscopy to extend the description of nucleic acids from static structures to dynamic ensembles, which results in a deeper and more predictive understanding of how nucleic acids are being recognized by other biomolecules. Having developed this expertise in nucleic acid biophysics and perspectives in dynamic ensembles, Dr. Shi is ready to elucidate the properties that define the best genome editors in Dr. Doudna’s lab.
Harvard University Medical School
Appointed in 1989
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Harvard University Medical School
Appointed in 1989
Activation of cdc 2/cyclin kinase during meiosis in the surf clam
Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
Appointed in 1995
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Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
Appointed in 1995
Role of phosphorylation in eukaryotic mRNA synthesis
Yale University
Appointed in 2004
Multivesicular bodies in dendritic cell function
Princeton University
Appointed in 1995
Melanocyte development in mice
MRC Center, University Medical School, England
Appointed in 1982
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MRC Center, University Medical School, England
Appointed in 1982
Structure and regulation of yeast mating-type genes
University of Washington
Appointed in 2025
Decoding the Structural Basis of Immunogenicity
Dr. Ellen Shrock envisions a future where novel therapeutics are not seen as dangerous by the immune system. While studying the immune response to SARS -CoV2 in her graduate work, she recognized that even different individuals responded in the same way to the virus. In her fellowship, Shrock is systematically characterizing immunogenicity, the ability of a substance to provoke an immune response, and training models to predict antibody recognition, with the long-term goal of avoiding such features in protein therapeutics.
During her thesis research in Dr. Stephen Elledge’s lab at Harvard Medical School, Shrock studied antibodies from people who had COVID-19 and found they targeted over 800 parts of the virus. She also showed that some parts of these antibodies are built into our genes and help the immune system recognize viruses quickly. Shrock’s research is a giant step forward in understanding immune recognition, with important implications for viral immunoevasion and the design of immunosilent protein therapeutics.
As a postdoc in Dr. David Baker’s lab at the University of Washington, Shrock is taking a systematic approach to more broadly understand antibody recognition. She will execute a large-scale screen to characterize the antibody response against a diverse array of proteins. Shrock will then characterize the epitopes within these proteins and use her results to train an AI model to predict immunogenicity. In addition to providing fundamental learnings on immune recognition, Shrock’s findings will empower the design of future protein therapeutics that are invisible to our immune systems.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Appointed in 2024
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Appointed in 2024
Understanding tissue damage in the pre-neoplasia to neoplasia transition of colorectal cancer
Tissue regeneration, in a normal developmental context, and cancer are both forms of cellular proliferation. However, tissue regeneration is regulated and responsive to the surrounding environment, whereas cancer sheds these restraints. Understanding the commonalities and the differences between tissue regeneration and cancer may provide insight into novel avenues for cancer therapeutics.
Dr. Bing Shui will investigate the role of tissue damage in facilitating the early pre-neoplastic to neoplastic transition in colorectal cancer in Dr. Tyler Jacks’ lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. Shui will examine how tissue damage cooperates with oncogenic mutations to initiate cancer. He will also compare damaged mutant and wildtype cells to identify vulnerabilities that can be leveraged to selectively destroy precancerous cells. Ultimately, a better understanding of the role of tissue damage in this early precancerous transition may reveal novel prophylactic cancer treatments.
Shui’s interest in the relationship between tissue regeneration and cancer burgeoned in Dr. Kevin Haigis’ lab at Harvard University. During his Ph.D. studies, he examined the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in colon regeneration and colon cancer. First, Shui demonstrated that miRNAs are required for tissue regeneration and miRNA suppression exacerbated colon damage due to failed regeneration. Next, he examined the role of miRNAs in colon cancer and discovered a novel form of posttranslational regulation mediated by oncogenic K-Ras that governs global miRNA function. Now Shui will use his expertise in tissue damage and regeneration to identify vulnerabilities in colorectal cancer during his postdoctoral research.
Frederick Cancer Research Facility
Appointed in 1982
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Frederick Cancer Research Facility
Appointed in 1982
Phage and bacterial regulatory mechanisms
Harvard University
Appointed in 1979
Maltose and maltodextrin transport in E. coli
Stanford University
Appointed in 1972
Purification and characterization of mRNA coding for myeloma patients
Columbia University
Appointed in 2000
Molecular mechanism of synapse specific targeting of EF1-a and its role in synaptic growth
Carnegie Institute for Science
Appointed in 2012
Metabolic transitions during Drosophila oogenesis
University of Wisconsin
Appointed in 1972
The interaction of promoters and transcription factors
Max-Planck Institute /
University of California
Appointed in 1988
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Max-Planck Institute / University of California
Appointed in 1988
RNA localization in Drosophila development
University of Cologne, Germany
Appointed in 1982
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University of Cologne, Germany
Appointed in 1982
Idiotype regulation of the immune response
Institut Pasteur, France
Appointed in 1965
Operon expression and lysogeny
Harvard University
Appointed in 1975
Periplasmic protein secretion in E. coli
Stanford University
Appointed in 2010
Neural integration of visual information in the Drosophila brain
My current research interest is visual system function in fruit flies. I want to understand how different behaviorally relevant visual cues, such as motion or polarized light information, are processed in the Drosophila brain.
I am from Germany. I studied biology and chemistry at the University of Münster, where I worked in a plant pathology lab as an undergraduate; I also did internships at Washington State University and Edinburgh University.  During that time I became interested in neuroscience and subsequently studied the development of the nervous system for my diploma thesis and PhD at the Department of Neurobiology in Münster. I used the fly embryonic peripheral nervous system to study how neurons and glial cells communicate in order to coordinate axonal outgrowth with glial cell migration. For my postdoc I switched from developmental to functional aspects of neuroscience. Outside the lab, I enjoy exploring the Bay area on my road bike or hiking, and meeting friends.