![Exploring the Fundamental Signals for Cell Growth]()
The NIH has awarded Nicholas Baker, Ph.D., a four-year, $1.2 million grant to explore how regulatory signals from ribosomes control the growth rate of cells. Ribosomes—the tiny cytoplasmic particles on which cells assemble proteins from amino acids—are composed of ribosomal RNA and several different proteins. Reducing the number of ribosomal genes decreases the number of ribosomes in a cell and slows cell division via a novel transcriptional pathway. Dr. Baker will study the interplay between ribosome and this transcriptional regulation to better understand how cell division is controlled. His findings may lead to insights into cancer, cardiac hypertrophy and other diseases that involve increases in the growth rate of cells. Dr. Baker is professor of genetics, of developmental and molecular biology and of ophthalmology and visual sciences. Dr. Baker also holds the Harold and Muriel Block Chair in Genetics. (1R01GM120451-01)
Posted on: Wednesday, November 16, 2016