Daniel Leahy is interested in molecular aspects of cell adhesion and signaling.
Multicellular organisms require mechanisms for intercellular communication and adhesion.
These functions are often intertwined and invariably involve molecular interactions at the cell surface. Our laboratory is interested in the nature of these interactions and how they generate signals that influence cell fate. We hope to generate insight into the way many individual interactions are integrated to create and maintain viable organisms. As an essential first step in understanding the nature of specific interactions, we are pursuing x-ray crystallographic studies of targeted receptors, their ligands, and ultimately complexes of these receptors and ligands. The success of our studies hinges on our ability to express, purify, and characterize milligram quantities of functional forms of targeted proteins.