Departmental overview

The research interests of IBP faculty focus on the cell biology, physiology and pharmacology of cell regulation and communication. Major research themes include the molecular mechanisms and spatiotemporal dynamics of membrane signaling, intracellular and metabolic signaling, the biology and physiology of cell-cell interactions, and the use of computational, structural and systems approaches to decipher signaling networks. These efforts are broadly aimed at understanding how normal and abnormal cell function translates into whole animal physiology and pathophysiology, and at exploring the molecular pharmacology of existing and novel therapeutics. In this context, we have expanding programs in cancer cell biology, cardiovascular biology, tissue regeneration and plasticity (especially in nerve and muscle), and neuronal signaling in injury, inflammation and pain.

Research is supported by outstanding core facilities located within the Medical School for microarray analysis, proteomics, high content/high throughput screening, high throughput real-time qPCR, DNA sequencing, SNP analysis, and high throughput quantitative ELISA. In addition there are departmental cores for electrophysiology, and a newly expanded departmental center for cell-imaging using advanced light, FRET, FLIM, TIRF and confocal microscopy.

IBP faculty teach physiology and pharmacology to medical and dental students, run a graduate studies program in Cell and Regulatory Biology, and a training grant in Pharmacoinformatics. Various IBP faculty members also participate in the University Centers for Membrane Biology and Clinical and Translation Sciences within the Medical School.

IBP is currently embarking on a major recruitment drive under the new chair, Dr John Hancock, which aims to significantly increase the size of IBP over the next few years. During 2008 five new faculty members joined the department. In 2009 we are seeking additional faculty who can add new capabilities to our established research programs in several thematic areas:

1. Neural response to injury and inflammation. Of particular interest are investigators who study signaling mechanisms in sensory neurons that control functional recovery, or lead to chronic pain, after injury and inflammation.
2. Cardiovascular biology and physiology. We have an interest in researchers who study the development of the cardiovascular system, the role of stem cells in angiogenesis, signaling between cells of the vascular system, and roles of the vascular system in injury of the brain and spinal cord.
3. Normal or aberrant cell signaling in cancer. We are especially interested in investigators using animal models to study cell migration, metastasis or tumorigenesis to complement the strong cell biology expertise already present in IBP.
4. Computational and systems biology as applied to cell signaling networks or whole animal physiology.