Ross Lab - BiophysicsCytoskeleton: Rich Biological System

of Interesta) Microtubules Shape the Cell

b) Motor Proteins Move Objects and Microtubules

c) Microtubule regulation through modifications and motor proteins

1. Microtubule Motors Traffic ProblemsDynein, Kinesin, Eg5, MAPs

Using Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence (TIRF) Microscopy

Optical trapping of motors to measure force

2. Microtubule Severing EnzymesKatanin, Spastin, Fidgetin

Using TIRF microscopy

March of Dimes Funded

3. Microtubule MechanicsStability, Flexibility, Structural Studies

NSF funded

Ross, et. al., Biophysical Journal 2008

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10 m

Green = MicrotubulesBlue = DNA

Website: www.people.umass.edu/rossj

Email: rossj@physics.umass.edu

Ross Lab - Biophysics

1. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology:

Protein Design, Purification, and Characterization

2. Microscopy:

Epi-fluorescence, TIRF, electron microscopy, AFM

3. Analysis:

Image analysis, MATLAB analysis, measure velocity, intensity, Fourier modes

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BioBootCamp 2010