This laboratory has a longstanding interest in elucidating the molecular basis of disease, particularly at the protein and cellular level. The study of protein structure and function is the primary theme of the lab.
Most diseases arise from the complex interactions among hundreds our even thousands of molecules.
Consequently, the study of disease one molecule at a time is a painstaking and time-consuming process. This problem is especially evident in conditions like tumor metastasis where a number of different biochemical systems contribute to tumor dissemination. An understanding of complex biochemical systems will facilitate the diagnosis and treatment of many diseases. To develop comprehensive approaches toward studying complexity, we have embarked on a line of study aimed at defining the Plasma Membrane Signature. We hypothesize that the Plasma Membrane Signature largely determines the character and behavior of cells.