Meet the Experts at Cell Biology 2017

LabRoots Cell Biology 2017 is coming up quickly! Join us on September 27^th – 28^th to learn about new advances in basic biology and recent tools and techniques in cell research. Meet with like-minded colleagues and discuss the latest developments in Cell Biology and how interdisciplinary research is helping basic research integrate with new technology. LabRoots is excited to announce speakers for this years virtual conference, including:

• Robert Singer, PhD - Professor & Co-Chair of Anatomy & Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
• Gene Yeo, PhD - Principal Investigator, Professor, UCSD
• Amr Abdeen, PhD - Postdoctoral Associate, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Anita Bandrowski, PhD - Scientific Lead, Neuroscience Information Framework, Center for Research in Biological Systems, University of California at San Diego, San Diego, California, USA; Founder and CEO of SciCrunc
• Joshua Brody, MD - Assistant Professor, Hematology and Medical Oncology Director, Lymphoma Immunotherapy Program, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
• Ajit Divakaruni, PhD - Assistant Professor, Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)
• Johanna Farkas, PhD - Post Doc: Biologist, Northeastern University
• Idan Frumkin, PhD - Graduate Student, Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science
• Neal Guentzel, PhD - Professor, The University of Texas at San Antonio
• Anna Kashina, PhD - Professor of Biochemistry, University of Pennsylvania
• Nancy Kelley - Founder, Nancy J Kelley + Associates
• Laura Lowery, PhD - Assistant Professor of Biology, Boston College
• Abhishek Sharma - Senior Global Market Manager, Sample Technologies, QIAGEN
• Alison Wirshing, PhD - Graduate Student, Northeastern University

  Here are a couple of highlights not to be missed! Keynote speaker Robert Singer, PhD, Professor & Co-Chair of Anatomy & Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, will be presenting his Evolutionary Cell Biology talk entitled “What Microscopy Can Tell Us About the Life of an mRNA in Living Cells” on September 27, 2017 at 7:30 AM PDT . Dr. Singer studies single mRNA molecules from cradle to grave, seeking to understand the expression and movement of mRNA from transcription through degradation and the effect that defects in these processes have on health. The Singer Lab is looking into developing methods to label RNA in fixed and living cells using fluorescent probes, and microscopy techniques and image analysis algorithms to visualize and quantify many mRNAs simultaneously. Using these technologies, observation of single mRNAs localizing to cytoplasmic compartments such as the leading edge of a fibroblast, the bud tip of yeast or the axonal process of neurons is possible. Because these techniques yield quantitative fluorescence data, mathematical modeling can be applied to test mechanistic hypotheses. Dr. Laura Lowery, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biology, Boston College, will be discussing “Regulation of microtubule plus-end dynamics during axon guidance and cell migration” on September 27, 2017 at 6:00 AM PDT. Dr. Lowry’s current research focuses on the cytoskeletal mechanisms that promote cell migration in neurons, neural crest cells, and metastatic cancer cells. A fundamental question in neuronal development is how growth cone cytoskeletal dynamics are coordinated to promote accurate axonal navigation. To address this question, Dr. Lowery will focus on microtubule plus-end tracking proteins (+TIPs), which may play a key role in axon guidance. TACC3 is a +TIP that promotes microtubule polymerization and axon outgrowth. In testing the hypothesis that TACC3 spatially restricts microtubule polymerization in response to guidance signals in Xenopus laevis axons in vivo and ex vivo, it is shown that TACC3 is required to promote axon outgrowth and prevent spontaneous retractions. These findings suggest that TACC3 functions as an axon guidance-regulating factor in embryonic neurons by spatially promoting microtubule polymerization dynamics. Use #LRcellbio to follow the conversation!