Our research focuses on the area of
cell cycle control, and in particular
how it interacts with control of cell
polarity. One focus is the study of
how changes in the activity of the
Cyclin Dependent Kinases (CDKs) that
control cell cycle progression promote
specific changes in the organization
of the actin cytoskeleton. A second
focus involves investigation of a novel
checkpoint control that monitors the
organization of the actin cytoskeleton.
When environmental insults disrupt
actin organization, this checkpoint
delays entry into mitosis through inhibition
of CDK/cyclin kinases. Trainees use
genetic and biochemical approaches
to study these signaling pathways in
the experimentally tractable budding
yeast.
