Sally Horne-Badovinac, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, The University of Chicago

EDUCATION

University of California, San Francisco - Ph.D., Biochemistry 2003

University of Oregon - B.S., Chemistry 1996

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

Assistant Professor of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology – University of Chicago 2008-date

Postdoctoral fellow with Dr. David Bilder - U.C. Berkeley 2003-2008

Graduate student with Dr. Didier Y.R. Stainier - U.C. San Francisco 1997-2003

Undergraduate researcher with Dr. John H. Postlethwait - University of Oregon 1994-1996

Topic：Spinning the matrix: Basement membrane secretion and remodeling during organ morphogenesis

My lab wants to understand how the dynamic regulation of cell shape, polarity and adhesion across cell populations sculpts an organ’s shape during development. To this end, we are using genetic and cell biological approaches in Drosophila to investigate how a simple, ovarian structure called an egg chamber lengthens as it grows. This morphogenesis depends on a dramatic epithelial migration event, which remodels the epithelial basement membrane (BM). The combination of cell movement and new matrix secretion creates unusual BM “fibrils”, which appear to directionally constrain egg chamber growth. This seminar will focus on the cellular mechanisms that target newly synthesized BM proteins to the basal epithelial surface. It will also introduce a speculative model for how planar polarization of the BM secretion machinery could contribute to fibril formation.

Venue: Room143, New Biology Building, THU

Time: Mar. 26 (Tuesday), 2013; 16:30

Host: Prof. Jose Carlos Pastor-Pareja