Mentors 2013

Biological Sciences
Dr. Chloe Bulinski:
Function of the cytoskeleton during the cell cycle and differentiation
Dr. Martin Chalfie:
Developmental genetics of identified nerve cells in C. elegans
Dr. Larry Chasin:
Pre-mRNA splicing; molecular and computational approaches
Dr. Virginia Cornish:
Ribosome biochemistry
Dr. Lars Dietrich
Bacterial models for biological shape and pattern formation
Dr. Julio Fernandez :
Single molecule mechanics and engineering
Dr. Stuart Firestein:
Cellular mechanisms and signal transduction of olfaction
Dr. Tulle Hazelrigg:
Epigenetic regulation of gene expression in Drosophila
Dr. John Hunt:
Structural biology of transmembrane transport
Dr. Songtao Jia:
Epigenetic regulation of the genome
Dr. Daniel Kalderon:
Hedgehog signaling in Drosophila development
Dr. Darcy Kelley:
Neurobiology of vocal communication and sexual differentiation
Dr. James Manley:
mRNA transcription, splicing, and processing
Dr. Ann McDermott:
NMR studies of enzyme mechanism and membrane protein structure
Dr. Elizabeth Miller:
Regulation of intracellular protein transport
Dr. Dana Pe'er:
The function and organization of molecular networks
Dr. Ron Prywes:
Growth factor regulation of gene expression
Dr. Ozgur Sahin:
Molecular Biophysical analysis of single molecule interactions
Dr. Mike Sheetz:
Cell motility, motor molecules, & integrin-cytoskeleton interactions
Dr. Brent Stockwell:
Diagramming disease networks with chemical and biological tools
Dr. Liang Tong:
Protein structure of enzymes involved in fatty acid metabolism
Dr. Alexander Tzagoloff:
Mitochondrial biogenesis
Dr. Jian Yang:
Structure, function and regulation of ion channels
Dr. Rafael Yuste:
Function of the cortical microcircuit

Biomedical Engineering
Dr. Edward Guo:
Bone tissue biomechanics
Dr. Elizabeth Hillman:
Optical imaging of living tissues
Dr. Hayden Huang:
Cell responses to physical stimuli and signalling
Dr. Clark Hung:
Cell and tissue engineering
Dr. Christopher Jacobs:
Primary Cilia
Dr. Lance Kam:
Organization and dynamics of the immune synapse affects T cell function
Dr. Elisa Konofagou:
Elasticity techniques such as breast elastography & ligament elastography
Dr. Helen Lu:
Design of novel composite biomaterials for implantation
Dr. Barclay Morrison:
Neurotrauma and repair
Dr. Paul Sajda:
Computational modeling and advanced neuroimaging of visual cortex
Dr. Samuel Sia:
Microfabrication of tissues; diagnostic devices for global health
Dr. Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic:
Tissue engineering and stem cells

Chemistry
Dr. Ronald Breslow:
Artifical enzymes
Dr. Ruben Gonzalez:
Ribosomal protein synthesis
Dr. Wei Min:
Imaging of lipid storage and metabolism in C. elegans
Dr. Laura Kaufman :
Cancer cell invasion in novel biopolymer gels

Computer Science
Dr. Itsik Pe'er:
Computational methods in human genetics

Mechanical Engineering
Dr. Gerard Ateshian:
Tissue engineering and cell mechanics
Dr. Jung-Chi Liao:
Dynamics of cell reprogramming toward induced pluripotent stem cells
Dr. Kristin Myers:
Mechanics of the cervix during pregnancy

Psychology
Dr. Frances Champagne
Epigenetic mechanisms of transmission of behavior across generations
Dr. Don Hood:
Physiological bases of visual processes
Dr. Rae Silver:
Neurobiological basis of circadian rhythms
Dr. Herbert Terrace: (lab located at CUMC)
Primate cognition lab
Dr. Sarah Woolley:
Neural basis and behavior of social communication

Barnard College

Psychology
Dr. Peter Balsam:
Learning and adaptive behavior

Columbia University – Health Sciences Campus

Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics
Dr. Joachim Frank:
Cryo-electron microscopy and 3D reconstruction of protein biosynthesis
Dr. Stephen Goff:
Retrovirus replication; tyrosine kinases and signal transduction
Dr. Maxwell Gottesman:
Transcription termination in E. coli and bacteriophage
Dr. Eric Greene:
DNA recombination and repair
Dr. Alla Grishok:
Short RNAs regulation of chromatin and gene expression in C. elegans
Dr. Oliver Hobert:
Genetic programs that control neural development in C. elegans
Dr. Richard Mann:
Homeotic gene function and their downstream targets in Drosophila

Genetics & Development
Dr. Tim Bestor:
The effect of "DNA methylation in sex cells"
Dr. Frank Costantini:
Genetics of mouse kidney development
Dr. Iva Greenwald:
Vulva development in C. elegans
Dr. Laura Johnston:
Cell cycle control and growth during development
Dr. Benjamin Ohlstein:
Intestinal stem cells in Drosophila
Dr. Mimi Shirasu-Hiza:
The circadian clock's regulation of immune function in Drosophila
Dr. Virginia Papaioannou:
The role of T-box genes in mammalian embryogenesis and organogenesis
Dr. Rodney Rothstein:
Yeast genetics and cellular responses to DNA damage in cancer
Dr. Gary Struhl:
Drosophila developmental genetics
Dr. Lori Sussel:
Mouse pancreatic islet differentiation and development

Medicine
Dr. Li-Shin Huang:
ApoB secretion and hepatic lipid metabolism

Microbiology
Dr. David Fidock:
Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasite biology
Dr. Adam Ratner:
Bacterial pathogenesis and innate immunity
Dr. Christian Schindler:
Cytokine signal transduction and its role in the immune response

Nephrology
Dr. Donald Landry:
Medical application of artificial enzymes; pathogenesis of vasodilatory shock

Neuroscience
Dr. Richard Axel:
Olfaction
Dr. Randy Bruno:
Neuronal networks in the rodent whisker-barrel system
Dr. James Goldman:
Neuron and glial cell fate determination
Dr. Kenneth Miller:
Modeling of brain circuitry, and development
Dr. Serge Przedborski:
Mechanisms in neurodegeneration

Otolaryngology
Dr. Elizabeth Olson:
Auditory mechanics
Dr. Gloria Su:
Head & neck carcinoma and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Pathology & Cell Biology

Dr. Asa Abeliovich:
Neurodegeneration and the life cycle of dopamine neurons
Dr. Julie Canman:
Molecular regulation and mechanics of cell division
Dr. Peter Canoll:
Glioma cell migration and proliferation
Dr. Christopher Henderson:
Motor neuron development and pathology
Dr. Tae-Wan Kim:
Molecular mechanisms in Alzheimer's disease
Dr. Ed Laufer:
The role of stem cells and Shh in the adrenal cortex
Dr. Yinghui Mao:
Cell cycle, division and chromosome movement
Dr. Carol Mason:
Axon guidance and synaptogenesis
Dr. Cathy Mendelsohn:
Molecular control of the development of the urogenital system
Dr. Liza Pon:
Role of the actin cytoskeleton
Dr. Alex Rai:
Biomarker discovery and gene expression profiling
Dr. Steven Spitalnik:
Glycoproteins and glycolipids
Dr. Carol Troy:
Molecular mechanisms of neuronal death
Dr. Stephen Tsang:
Retinal degeneration
Dr. Hynek Wichterle:
Human Nervous system development
Dr. Shan Zha:
DNA break repair
Dr. Bin Zheng:
Cancer cell metabolism

Pharmacology
Dr. Alice Prince:
Bacterial induction of cytokine signaling in epithelial cells
Dr. Richard Robinson:
Cardiac ion channel function and autonomic signaling cascades
Dr. Michael Rosen:
Heart development
Dr. Steven Siegelbaum:
Ion channel structure and function

Physiology and Cell Biophysics
Dr. Wes Grueber:
Mechanisms of dendritic morphogenesis and patterning
Dr. Brian McCabe:
Molecular genetics of synaptic development and plasticity in Drosophila
Dr. Ning Qian:
Computational modeling of neural systems and visual psychophysics
Dr. Samuel Silverstein (Dr. John Loike):
Structure and functions of innate immunity and related diseases

Psychiatry
Dr. Vincent Ferera:
Neural basis of selective attention and visually guided behavior
Dr. René Hen:
Neurobiology of learning and memory

Surgery
Dr. Jeffrey Bruce:
Brain tumors

Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
Dr. Jeremy Mao:
Stem cells and multi-lineage differentiation pathways

New York State Psychiatric Institute
Dr. Alex Dranovsky
Neuro-circuitry of psychiatric disease
Dr. Jay Gingrich:
Genetic dissection of complex signaling pathways in schizophrenia
Dr. John Mann:
Serotonin and a predisposition for suicide
Dr. Holly Moore:
Learned fear and the neuropathology of schizophrenia
Dr. Stephen Rayport:
Schizophrenia