Juan Bonifacino, Program Director
The Cell Biology and Metabolism Program (CBMP) conducts studies in various areas of molecular cell biology, including the mechanisms of intracellular protein traffic and organelle biogenesis, host-pathogen interactions, the adaptive responses to environmental stresses, the biology of small non-coding RNAs and small proteins, regulation of the cell cycle during oogenesis, and liver cell physiology. A salient feature of the CBMP is its outstanding capabilities in state-of-the-art fluorescence microscopy techniques, including imaging of cells in real time, fluorescence resonance energy transfer, and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy. The CBMP's imaging capabilities have been greatly enhanced with the development of photoactivated localization microscopy (PALM). In addition, the CBMP maintains facilities for working with many model organisms, including bacteria, yeast, Drosophila, mice, and mammalian cells. Knowledge gained from the study of basic cellular processes is applied to elucidating the causes of human diseases, including disorders of protein traffic and bile acid secretion as well as neurodegeneration and microbial pathogenesis.