Genome Maintenance & RNA Biology
Investigators in the Department of Cell Biology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine who are interested in genome maintenance and RNA biology study the molecular and cellular mechanisms that preserve DNA integrity and stability, and the consequences of dysregulation in processes such as cancer development, aging, and antibody gene diversification.
Living cells are constantly exposed to both endogenous and exogenous factors threatening the integrity and stability of its genetic material. As a result, genome maintenance is essential for cellular homeostasis, disease prevention, and healthy longevity.
A central tenet of molecular biology states that genetic information flows from DNA to RNA to proteins (i.e., DNA makes RNA makes protein). As research advances, an expanded family of RNA species has been recognized, which includes mRNA, tRNA, and rRNA, plus a diverse array of non-coding and regulatory RNAs. As biologists, we explore how RNA is transcribed, processed, and modified, and how it interacts with proteins and other RNAs to regulate gene expression and cellular function. Ours is a longstanding tradition of distinguished research in this area, contributing fundamental insights into the complex biology of RNA.
Research Faculty
The Department of Cell Biology faculty below conduct research on genome maintenance and RNA biology. If you are interested in collaborating on a research project, please contact the investigators directly for more information.
Robert A. Coleman, Ph.D.
Professor, Departments of Cell Biology and Genetics; The Joseph and Gertrud Buchler Chair in Transgenic Medicine
Specific research topics: cancer genetics, cancer microenvironment, DNA replication and repair, immunology, and stem cells
Winfried Edelmann, Ph.D.
Professor, Departments of Cell Biology and Genetics; The Joseph and Gertrud Buchler Chair in Transgenic Medicine
Specific research topics: cancer genetics, cancer microenvironment, DNA replication and repair, immunology, and stem cells
Dmitry Fyodorov, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Cell Biology
Specific research topics: chromatin biology/gene regulation, development, DNA replication and repair, proteomics and protein biochemistry, RNA processing/splicing/modification
Matthew J. Gamble, Ph.D.
Professor, Departments of Cell Biology and Molecular Pharmacology; Assistant Director, Medical Scientist Training Program
Specific research topics: cell death and senescence, chromatin biology/gene regulation, DNA replication and repair, and RNA processing/splicing/modification
Richard N. Kitsis, M.D.
Professor, Departments of Cell Biology and Medicine; The Dr. Gerald and Myra Dorros Chair in Cardiovascular Disease
Specific research topics: aging, cell death and senescence, cellular metabolism, drug development and experimental therapeutics, RNA processing/splicing/modification, and signal transduction
U. Thomas Meier, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Cell Biology
Specific research topics: aging, imaging, proteomics and protein biochemistry, and RNA processing/splicing/modification
Carl L. Schildkraut, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Cell Biology
Specific research topics: aging, chromatin biology/gene regulation, development, DNA replication and repair, and imaging
Robert H. Singer, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Cell Biology and Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience; Harold and Muriel Block Chair in Anatomy & Structural Biology
Specific research topics: chromatin biology/gene regulation, imaging, RNA processing/splicing/modification, single cell analysis
Arthur I. Skoultchi, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Cell Biology; Judith and Burton P. Resnick Chair in Cell Biology
Specific research topics: chromatin biology/gene regulation, development, erythropoiesis, hematopoiesis, RNA processing/splicing/modification, and stem cells
B. Hilda Ye, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Cell Biology
Specific research topics: cancer genetics, cancer microenvironment, drug development and experimental therapeutics, immunology, signal transduction, single cell analysis, and stem cells.