Ph.D. Training in Molecular Biology and Genetics

Areas of Research

Processing mechanisms of pre-mRNA and rRNA
Development of genomic and proteomic tools for gene discovery and analysis
Developmental regulation and function of alternative pre-mRNA splicing in Drosophila and mammalian systems
Molecular rearrangements occurring during the biogenesis of ribosomes in yeast
Evolution of developmental mechanisms using gene regulatory networks (GRNs)

Faculty Members

Peter B. Berget
The Berget laboratory uses molecular biology techniques to design and construct protein tagging retroviral vectors. They also use molecular techniques to analyze the location and expression of the tagged genes in cultured mammalian cells.

Charles A. Ettensohn
The Ettensohn laboratory studies gene regulatory networks that underlie embryonic development.

Jonathan Jarvik
In the Jarvik laboratory, viral vectors are used to create mammalian cell lines expressing reporter-tagged proteins that exhibit native regulation while retaining native biochemical and structural integrity.

Elizabeth W. Jones
The Jones laboratory uses both the powerful molecular genetic tools and the genomics of yeast to study protein trafficking to and biogenesis of the vacuole, as well as chaperone function and disulfide bond formation in the endoplasmic reticulum of yeast.

Adam D. Linstedt
The Linstedt group is investigating molecular mechanisms that establish and maintain the membrane-bounded compartments of the secretory and endocytic pathways. Approaches include permeabilized cell assays, biochemical reconstitutions, cell imaging techniques and molecular genetic experiments.

A. Javier López
The Lopez group employs genetic, genomic, and molecular approaches in Drosophila to characterize regulatory mechanisms for alternative splicing and how they influence development. The role of recursive splicing in the expression and evolution of large transcription units are principal areas of study.

Mark Macbeth
The Macbeth lab is interested is interested in RNA-protein interactions, specifically those that involve ADARs, or Adenosine deaminases that act on RNA. Approaches include structural, biochemical and genetic methods to characterize the 3-D ADAR structure, its enzymatic mechanism, and the regulation of its activity.

Brooke M. McCartney
In the field of developmental genetics, the McCartney laboratory uses the powerful genetic tools available in Drosophila to investigate questions of signal transduction and cytoskeletal organization.

Jonathan Minden
Researchers in the Minden laboratory are using genetics and molecular biology approaches to study to role certain genes and proteins play in controlling how cells change shape during Drosophila embryogenesis. They are also using the same methods to study early protein changes during developmentally regulated cell death.

Russell Schwartz
The Schwartz laboratory is developing of mathematical models and computational methods for analyzing genetic polymorphism data, and applying them to problems in disease association study design.

John Woolford
The Woolford group uses powerful and facile molecular genetics and proteomics of yeast to discover how ribosomes are assembled. What are the cellular machines that construct this machine that catalyzes protein sytnthesis in all organisms? How is assembly of ribosomes coordinated with growth and proliferation of cells?

Graduate Student Work in Molecular Biology and Genetics

Mengning Zhou
Mengning's work centers on identifying the mechanism underlying the membrane association of the Drosophila APC2 protein using Drosophila as well as the S2 cell line as a model system.

Other Students:
Lan Tang

Recent Publications and Presentations

Miles, TD, Jakovljevic, J, Horsey, E, Harnpicharnchai, P, Tang, L, and Woolford, JL, Jr. Ytm1,Nop7,and Erb1 Form a Complex Necessary for Maturation of 66S Preribosomes. Molecular and Cellular Biology 2005; 25: 10419-10432.

Subramanian S, Woolford CA, Jones EW. The Sec1/Munc18 protein, Vps33p, functions at the endosome and the vacuole of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Molecular Biology of the Cell 2004. Published March 26 2004 as 10.1091/mbc E03-10-0767.

Organizations for Molecular Biology and Genetics

Pittsburgh RNA Community
There is a diverse and interactive community of scientists in Pittsburgh studying RNA structure, processing and function. These nine lab groups, listed below, meet together once each month. Students and postdoctoral fellows present recent research results or solicit feedback about ideas for new experiments. Each year the Pittsburgh RNA community hosts a series of outside speakers. Please contact Karen Arndt at arndt+@pitt.edu or Jeff Brodsky at jbrodsky+@pitt.edu for more information.

Pittsburgh Yeast Community
The community of scientists in Pittsburgh who study the baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has diverse but complementary interests including transcription, RNA processing, and membrane trafficking. The group interacts with each other in many productive collaborations, meets together once a month where students and postdocs discuss recent research progress, and frequently share reagents and ideas. Please contact John Woolford or Javier López for more information.