Faculty Research Topics
Archaea . Bioenergetics and Photosynthesis . Biofuels . Bioinformatics
Cell-Cell Interactions . Cell-Matrix Interactions . Chromatin Structure
Computational Biology . Cytoskeleton . Development . DNA Biology
Drug Discovery . Endocrinology . Enzymology . Genetics . Genome Organization
Genomics . Glycobiology . Host-Pathogen Interactions . Imaging . Ion Channels
Learning and Memory . Membrane Biology . Metabolic Regulation
Microbial Ecology . Microbial Physiology . Molecular Evolution
Molecular Immunology . Neurobiology . Optogenetics . Pattern Formation
Protein Dynamics . Protein Homeostasis . Protein Structure
Protein Synthesis . Protein-Nucleic Acid Interactions . Proteomics
Receptor Biochemistry . Regulation of Gene Expression
Reproductive Biology . RNA Biology . Sensory Processing
Signal Transduction . Synaptic Transmission . Toxins . Virology
Isaac Cann
Department of Microbiology
Molecular biology and biochemistry of archaeal DNA replication; host-microbiome interactions; enzymes of plant cell wall hydrolysis
3408 Institute for Genomic Biology, 1206 West Gregory Drive | MC-195
Urbana, IL 61801
Office: (217) 333-2090
Robert "Bob" B Gennis
Department of Biochemistry
Membrane protein structure/function; Expression of membrane proteins from hyperthermophiles; Structure and mechanism of prokaryotic respiratory enzymes that generate a membrane potential
Profile Page
Lab Page
Video Interview
A320 CLSL
Office: (217) 333-9075
Lab: (217) 333-4939
Fax: (217) 244-3186
William W Metcalf
Department of Microbiology
Molecular genetics and biochemistry of methanogenic Archaea; biosynthesis of phosphonate antibiotics; redox cycling of phosphorus by microorganisms
Office: (217) 244-1943
Lab: (217) 265-0771
Gary J Olsen
Department of Microbiology
The functions, evolutionary histories and structures of genes and proteins
383 Morrill Hall
Office: (217) 244-0616
Fax: (217) 244-6697
Rachel J Whitaker
Department of Microbiology
The Whitaker Lab studies the evolution of Archaea, Bacteria and Viruses in natural and clinical environments.
Profile Page
Lab Page
Video Interview
C222 CLSL
3101 Carl Woese Institute for Genomic Biology
Office: (217) 244-8420
Antony R Crofts
Department of Biochemistry
Structure/function relationships in photosynthetic energy conversion; structure of membrane proteins; mechanism of energy conservation; photosynthesis in intact plants; energetics of the biosphere
Profile Page
Lab Page
Curriculum Vita
Video Interview
153 Davenport Hall
Office: (217) 333-2043
Lab: (217) 333-7407
Fax: (217) 244-6615
Yi Lu
Department of Biochemistry
Protein design and engineering; in vitro selection and characterization of new catalytic DNA and RNA molecules as anti-viral pharmaceutical agents or as metal ion biosensors
A324 CLSL
Office: (217) 333-2619
Fax: (217) 333-2685
John E Cronan
Department of Microbiology
Genetic approaches to regulation of lipid metabolism; synthesis and attachment of biotin and lipoic acid
C322 CLSL
Office: (217) 333-7919
Lab: (217) 244-3466
Fax: (217) 244-6697
John A Gerlt
Department of Biochemistry
Mechanisms of enzyme-catalyzed reactions, functional genomics, lignin deconstruction for biofuel production
Profile Page
Lab Page
Curriculum Vita
3107 IGB
Office: (217) 244-7414
Lab: (217) 333-2699
Fax: (217) 244-6538
Huimin Zhao
Department of Biochemistry
Synthetic biology; protein engineering; metabolic engineering; biocatalysis; biosynthesis
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Curriculum Vita
215 Rogers Adams Lab
Office: (217) 333-2631
Fax: (217) 333-5052
Douglas A. Mitchell
Department of Microbiology
Molecular underpinnings of bacterial virulence
3105 IGB (main office) and 361 RAL
Office: (217) 333-1345
Eric C. Bolton
Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology
Regulation of prostate development and growth by hormone receptor signaling pathways
Profile Page
Lab Page
Video Interview
446A Burrill Hall
Office: (217) 244-0535
Lab: (217) 244-0445
Fax: (217) 333-1133
William M Brieher
Department of Cell & Developmental Biology
Cytoskeleton and Cell Adhesion
549 Morrill Hall
Benita S Katzenellenbogen
Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology
Regulation of gene expression, signal transduction, and cell proliferation and phenotypic properties by hormones and growth factors; functional analyses of nuclear hormone receptors and their genome-wide activities; mechanisms of hormone and antihormone action in normal and cancer cells and tumors; biomarker discovery and cellular changes underlying resistance to therapeutic agents in breast cancer.
294 Burrill Hall
Office: (217) 333-9769
Deborah E Leckband
Department of Biochemistry
Molecular Mechanisms of Cell Adhesion; Cell Engineering
127 Roger Adams Lab
Office: (217) 244-0793
Lab: (217) 244-2007
Fax: (217) 333-5052
Erik Russell Nelson
Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology
Endocrine and Metabolic Control of Breast and Ovarian Cancer Pathophysiology
523 Burrill
407 South Goodwin Ave
Urbana, IL 61801
Office: (217) 244-5477
Lab: (217) 300-1418
Vivian W Tang
Department of Cell & Developmental Biology
Teaching Director of Renal Curriculum, Carle Illinois College of Medicine
Office: 555B Morrill Hall
Stephen J Kaufman
Department of Cell & Developmental Biology
Role of integrins and extracellular matrix proteins in skeletal muscle development, formation of the neuromuscular junction, and muscular dystrophy
287 Burrill Hall
Fax: (217) 244-1648
Andrew S Belmont
Department of Cell & Developmental Biology
Chromatin Structure, Gene expression, Nuclear Architecture
Profile Page
Lab Page
Curriculum Vita
B509 CLSL
Office: (217) 244-2311
Lab: (217) 333-8372
Fax: (217) 244-1648
Lin-Feng Chen
Department of Biochemistry
Epigenetic regulation of NF-κB in immunity and cancer; NF-κB signaling and H. pylori-mediated gastric disease; Role of Brd4 in innate immune response and diseases.
517 Med. Sci. Bldg.
Office: (217) 333-7764
Lab: (217) 333-7864
Fax: (217) 244-5858
Brian C. Freeman
Department of Cell & Developmental Biology
Molecular Chaperones; Transcription; Chromatin Remodeling; Genome Organization
B605 CLSL
Lab: (217) 244-1065
Jongsook Kim Kemper
Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology
Metabolic Signaling and Epigenomic Control of Metabolism and Energy Balance
394 Burrill Hall
Office: (217) 333-6317
Lab: (217) 244-2236
Fax: (217) 333-1133
Supriya Prasanth
Department of Cell & Developmental Biology
Eukaryotic DNA replication; Chromosome structure & maintenance; Heterochromatin organization; Cell cycle control
C422 CLSL
Office: (217) 244-8076
Lab: (217) 244-8084
Fax: (217) 244-1648
Lisa J Stubbs
Department of Cell & Developmental Biology
Evolution of gene regulatory networks; Long-range regulatory mechanisms; Mouse models of human developmental disorders
R2402 Institute for Genomic Biology
Office: (217) 244-4000
Fax: (217) 244-1781
Thomas J Anastasio
Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology
Multilevel modeling of neurobiological systems in health and disease.
Profile Page
Lab Page
Video Interview
42 Burrill Hall
Office: (217) 244-2895
Rhanor Gillette
Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology
Neural Bases of Decision
414 Burrill Hall
Office: (217) 333-0328
Lab: (217) 244-5741
Fax: (217) 333-1133
Daniel Llano
Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology
The role of top-down projections in the processing of complex sounds
Profile Page
Lab Page
Curriculum Vita
Video Interview
2355 Beckman Institute
405 North Mathews Avenue
Urbana, IL 61801
Office: (217) 244-0740
Mark E Nelson
Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology
Computational Neuroscience; Neuroethology; Adaptive Behaviour
Profile Page
Lab Page
Video Interview
Office: (217) 244-1371
Erik Procko
Department of Biochemistry
Directed Evolution, Membrane Protein Structure and Function, Molecular Recognition, Neurotransmitters, Taste, G Protein-Coupled Receptors, HIV-1
318G Roger Adams Laboratory
600 S Mathews
Urbana, IL 81801
Office: (217) 300-1454
Emad Tajkhorshid
Department of Biochemistry
Computational Investigation of Biomolecular Systems and Processes at Microscopic Level
3147 Beckman Institute
Office: (217) 244-6914
Nicholas C Wu
Department of Biochemistry
Driving forces and functional constraints of influenza evolution
331 Burrill Hall
601 South Goodwin Avenue
Urbana, IL 61801, USA
Office: (217) 300-9239
Martha U Gillette
Department of Cell & Developmental Biology
The neurobiology of time; engineering neuronal development and repair
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Lab Page
Video Interview
618 Morrill Hall
Office: (217) 244-1355
Lab: (217) 244-1842
Fax: (217) 244-1648
Anna Marie Sokac
Department of Cell & Developmental Biology
Office: (217) 244-2786
Jo Ann Cameron
Department of Cell & Developmental Biology
Cellular and molecular mechanisms that control amphibian limb regeneration
2103 IGB
Office: (217) 333-1254
Lab: (217) 333-1254
Fax: (217) 244-1648
Jie Chen
Department of Cell & Developmental Biology
Signal Transduction in Mammalian Cell Growth and Differentiation
Profile Page
Lab Page
Video Interview
C526 CLSL
Office: (217) 265-0674
Lab: (217) 265-0672
Fax: (217) 265-0674
Jonathan J Henry
Department of Cell & Developmental Biology
Mechanisms of cell determination; development and regeneration of the vertebrate lens; cornea stem cell biology; developmental basis for evolutionary change
C522 CLSL
Office: (217) 333-4449
Lab: (217) 244-5921
Fax: (217) 244-1648
Auinash Kalsotra
Department of Biochemistry
Tissue development, regeneration and disease, MicroRNAs, Myotonic dystrophy, RNA therapeutics
Profile Page
Lab Page
Video Interview
Office: 461 Medical Science Building,
506 South Mathews Ave.,
Urbana, IL 61801
Office: (217) 300-7654
Lab: (217) 300-5531
Fax: (217) 244-5858
Xin Li
Department of Cell & Developmental Biology
Regulation of temporal patterning in neural progenitors and subsequent generation of neural diversity
B615 CLSL
Phillip A Newmark
Department of Cell & Developmental Biology
Planarian regeneration, germ cell development, schistosomes
Lori T Raetzman
Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology
Notch signaling pathway in hypothalamic-pituitary gland development and disease
Profile Page
Lab Page
Video Interview
535 Burrill Hall
Office: (217) 244-6233
Lab: (217) 333-7913
Fax: (217) 333-1133
Gene E Robinson
Department of Cell & Developmental Biology
From society to genes
Profile Page
Lab Page
Curriculum Vita
Video Interview
449 Morrill Hall
Office: (217) 265-0309
Lab: (217) 333-6843
Fax: (217) 244-3499
Rachel Smith-Bolton
Department of Cell & Developmental Biology
Wound repair and tissue regeneration; Drosophila genetics; Development and patterning
Profile Page
Lab Page
Video Interview
CLSL C626
Office: (217) 244-4183
Lab: (217) 244-4512
Nien-Pei Tsai
Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology
Molecular mechanisms underlying excitability homeostasis and synaptic plasticity in health and disease
423A Burrill Hall
Office: (217) 244-5620
Fax: (217) 333-1133
Andrei Kuzminov
Department of Microbiology
Mechanisms of DNA replication stress and genome instability
C326 CLSL
Office: (217) 265-0329
Lab: (217) 265-0852
Scott K Silverman
Department of Biochemistry
DNA as an enzyme
Profile Page
Lab Page
Video Interview
140 Roger Adams Lab
Office: (217) 244-4489
Fax: (217) 244-8024
Rutilio "Rudy" A Fratti
Department of Biochemistry
Protein-Lipid interactions; Membrane Fusion; Lipid Metabolism
430 Roger Adams Lab
Office: (217) 244-5513
Fax: (217) 244-5858
Paul J Hergenrother
Department of Biochemistry
Using small molecules to identify novel targets for the treatment of cancer, drug-resistant bacteria, and neurodegeneration
261 Roger Adams Lab
Office: (217) 333-0363
Lab: (217) 333-3694
Fax: (217) 244-8024
Raven H Huang
Department of Biochemistry
Enzymatic regulation of protein synthesis; Development of small-molecule inhibitors against pathogenic bacteria
411 Roger Adams Laboratory
Office: (217) 333-3967
Lab: (217) 244-4280
Fax: (217) 244-5858
Graham Rowell Huesmann
Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology
The mechanisms and treatment of epileptogenesis in adult onset epilepsy and the overlap between epileptic encephalopathy and Alzheimers disease.
Hong Jin
Department of Biochemistry
493 Roger Adams Laboratory
Office: (217) 244-9493
Lab: (217) 333-3944
Fax: (217) 244-5858
Satish K Nair
Department of Biochemistry
Natural products biosynthesis, bacterial signalling, X-ray crystallography
314C Roger Adams Lab
Office: (217) 333-0641
Lab: (217) 333-2688
Fax: (217) 244-5858
Mary A Schuler
Department of Cell & Developmental Biology
Molecular biology, biochemistry and genomics: pre-mRNA processing and P450 monooxygenases
161 Edward R. Madigan Laboratory (ERML)
Office: (217) 333-8784
Lab: (217) 333-8785
Fax: (217) 244-1336
David J Shapiro
Department of Biochemistry
Identification and use of small molecule biomodulators as novel anticancer drugs and probes for new regulatory pathways
314d Roger Adams Lab
Office: (217) 333-1788
Lab: (217) 244-0207
Fax: (217) 244-5858
Stephen G Sligar
Department of Biochemistry
Structural and functional characterization of macromolecular assemblies. Hormone biosynthetic cancer targets. Mechanisms of drug metabolism. Cancer signaling through the Ras pathways.
Profile Page
Lab Page
Curriculum Vita
Video Interview
116A Morrill Hall
Office: (217) 244-9872
Lab: (217) 244-5329
Patrick Sweeney
Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology
Neural circuitry regulating feeding and emotion
Wilfred A van der Donk
Department of Biochemistry
The understanding of enzymatic transformations that are of pharmaceutical importance
Profile Page
Lab Page
Curriculum Vita
161 Roger Adams Lab
Office: (217) 244-5360
Lab: (217) 333-3896
Fax: (217) 244-8024
Sayeepriyadarshini "Sayee" Anakk
Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology
Liver metabolism in normal and diseased state
453 Medical School Building
Office: (217) 300-7905
Fax: (217) 244-5858
Milan K Bagchi
Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology
Steroid Hormone Signaling Mechanisms in Normal Physiology and Diseases
Estrogen- and Progesterone-Regulated Gene Networks Controlling
Reproduction and Early Development; Genetic Models of Reproductive
Dysfunctions; Molecular Basis of Hormone-Dependent Cancer
434 Burrill Hall
Office: (217) 300-4645
Lab: (217) 333-7920/3-7697
Fax: (217) 333-1133
Catherine Christian-Hinman
Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology
Cellular, synaptic, and circuit neurophysiology in neuroendocrinology and epilepsy
523 Medical Sciences Building
Office: (217) 244-8230
Victor D Ramirez
Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology
Molecular Neuroendocrinology
482 Burrill Hall
Office: (217) 333-1293
Fax: (217) 333-1133
James A Imlay
Department of Microbiology
Molecular mechanisms of oxidative damage; cellular defenses against oxidants; obligate anaerobiosis
Profile Page
Lab Page
Video Interview
B303 CLSL
Office: (217) 333-5812
Lab: (217) 244-3462
Fax: (217) 244-6697
Susan A Martinis
Department of Biochemistry
RNA structure and function, RNA-protein interactions,| chemical mechanisms of biological reactions, protein synthesis, tRNA synthetases
Profile Page
Lab Page
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401A Roger Adams Lab
Office: (217) 244-2405
Lab: (217) 333-4936
Fax: (217) 244-5858
Peter A B Orlean
Department of Microbiology
Mechanism and regulation of polysaccharide synthases; cell wall biogenesis in yeast and pathogenic fungi
B213 Chemical and Life Sciences Laboratory
601 S. Goodwin Ave.
Urbana, IL 61801
Office: (217) 333-4139
Brenda Anne Wilson
Department of Microbiology
Bacterial protein toxins, their interaction with host cells, their effects on intracellular signal transduction, and development of novel alternative anti-toxin therapeutics; human and nonhuman primate vaginal and gut microbial ecosystems (microbiomes) and their role in health and disease
B209 CLSL
Office: (217) 244-9631
Lab: (217) 265-8260
Fax: (217) 244-6697
Steven R Blanke
Department of Microbiology
Infection Biology and Cancer, Host-pathogen Interactions, Bacterial Pathogenesis, Bacterial Toxins
B103 CLSL
Office: (217) 244-2412
Lab: (217) 333-6302
Asma Hatoum-Aslan
Department of Microbiology
Mechanisms and applications of bacterial viruses (phages) and the immune systems targeted against them
B213 CLSL
Office: (217) 333-1736
Katy Heath
Department of Microbiology
Evolutionary genetics of plant-microbe symbiosis
249 Morrill Hall
505 S. Goodwin Ave
Urbana, IL 61801
Office: (217) 265-5473
James M Slauch
Department of Microbiology
Molecular mechanisms of Salmonella pathogenesis
B203 CLSL
Office: (217) 244-1956
Lab: (217) 244-7846
Fax: (217) 244-6697
Cari Vanderpool
Department of Microbiology
The Vanderpool lab investigates RNA-mediated mechanisms of genetic regulation in bacteria.
Profile Page
Lab Page
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C226 CLSL
Office: (217) 333-7033
Christopher Byron Brooke
Department of Microbiology
Understanding viral replication, pathogenesis, and evolution
390A Burrill Hall
601 South Goodwin Avenue
Urbana, IL 61801
Office: (217) 265-0991
Lab: (217) 244-4917
Thomas E. Kehl-Fie
Department of Microbiology
Understanding How Starvation Shapes Infection
CLSL B401
Office: (217) 244-5471
Fax: (217) 244-6697
Collin Kieffer
Department of Microbiology
Mechanisms of HIV pathogenesis in animal models and human patient samples; development and application of multiscale tissue imaging methods
325 Burrill Hall
Office: (217) 300-9652
Lab: (217) 300-6768
Joe Sanfilippo
Department of Biochemistry
Exploring the intersection of bacteria and the physical world
321 RAL (enter through Sanfilippo lab in 323 RAL)
Joanna L. Shisler
Department of Microbiology
Immune evasion strategies of viruses; molecular disinfection of viruses; molecular tracking viruses in the environment
Profile Page
Lab Page
Video Interview
Note: Dr. Shisler is working as a visiting scientist at the National Science Foundation through August 15, 2021.
Office: (217) 265-6450
Beth Stadtmueller
Department of Biochemistry
Office 412C RAL
(enter through Lab 412)
Kai Zhang
Department of Biochemistry
Position available: The Zhang laboratory welcomes motivated students and postdoctoral fellows in biochemistry, biophysics, cell biology, neuronal biology to join the group. Please contact Kai Zhang (kaizkaiz@illinois.edu) with a description of your scientific research interests.
314 B Roger Adams Laboratory
Office: (217) 300-0582
Albert S Feng
Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology
Neural basis of sound pattern recognition
2355 Beckman Institute
Office: (217) 244-1951
Lab: (217) 333-7071
Fax: (217) 244-5180
Claudio Grosman
Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology
Molecular Mechanisms of Neurotransmitter-gated Ion Channels
Profile Page
Lab Page
Video Interview
452 Burrill Hall
Office: (217) 244-1736
Lab: (217) 333-1405
Fax: (217) 333-1133
Benjamin D Auerbach
Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology
Neural mechanisms underlying sensory processing and plasticity
2041 Beckman Institute
405 N. Mathews Avenue
Urbana, IL 61801
David M Kranz
Department of Biochemistry
Structure, Function, and Engineering of T Cell Receptors; Molecular Basis of Immune Recognition by T Cells; Tumor Targeting with T Cells; Engineering Protein Therapeutics
352C Burrill Hall
Office: (217) 244-2821
Lab: (217) 244-2823
Fax: (217) 244-5858
Ed Roy
Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology
Immunotherapy
336A Burrill Hall
Office: (217) 333-3375
Stephanie Ceman
Department of Cell & Developmental Biology
Molecular basis of disease, post-translational modifications, regulation of RNA expression, RNA-protein interactions
Profile Page
Lab Page
Video Interview
423 Medical Sciences Building
Office: (217) 244-6793
Lab: (217) 244-6749
Fax: (217) 244-1648
Jonathan V Sweedler
Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology
Novel neurochemistry and the function of cell-to-cell signaling molecules on neuronal network activity
Lyne Levesque
School of Molecular & Cellular Biology
Ins and outs of nucleocytoplasmic transport
577 Morrill Hall
Office: (217) 333-7565
Lab: (217) 244-3148
Fax: (217) 244-1648
David H Rivier
Department of Cell & Developmental Biology
Innovation in undergraduate education
C422 CLSL
Office: (217) 244-0060
Lab: (217) 244-0830
Fax: (217) 244-1648
Kannanganattu V. Prasanth
Department of Cell & Developmental Biology
long noncoding RNA; Gene regulation; Nuclear domain & structure, breast cancer
C426 CLSL
Office: (217) 244-7832
Lab: (217) 244-7895
Fax: (217) 265-0927