Life is based on cells.  The study of cell biology focuses on how cells and the components, structures and organelles inside of cells all work to bring about cellular functions.  Cell biology is fundamental for understanding the basic properties of life and touches on almost all aspects of biomedical research.  In addition, cell biology is a critical component of appreciating the problems and treatments of specific diseases such as cancer and neuronal disorders. 

Columbia is an internationally-recognized leading center for cell biology, where top researchers are actively investigating a multitude of basic questions, such as how do cell crawl, divide, communicate and die.  Researchers at Columbia use a combination of approaches, including state of the art microscopy, in vivo and in vitro systems, genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry, computational biology, biophysics, genomics and proteomics, and structural biology.  Subjects range from model organisms such as yeast, to cultured mammalian cells, to genetically-altered mice and tissues from pathology samples.  Particular strengths at Columbia include: the cytoskeleton, cell motility, cell division, motor proteins, membrane trafficking, organelle and nuclear biology, as well as the cell biology of neuronal, muscle and cancer cells.  Another strength of the Cell Biology community at Columbia is the enthusiastic cross-talk between labs and a collaborative environment, which contribute to an productive, innovative (and fun) research experience. 

The Cell Biology Program is an interdepartmental Ph.D. program that offers students outstanding training in cell biology carried out at the highest levels.  Components of this training include:

• Courses.  The core curriculum for the Cellular, Molecular and Biomedical Studies Program will provide a basic overview of biomedical research. Additional elective courses such as microscopy will be tailored to a student’s evolving interests and needs. 
  
  
• Rotations.  During the first year, students will do rotations in three laboratories.  These rotations are not restricted to those in the cell biology program, allowing the student to explore the full range of interests and approaches at Columbia.
  
  
• Thesis research.  After the rotations, students join a laboratory for their doctoral research.  Students are advised by their thesis advisor and a thesis committee consisting of three other faculty members.
  
  
• Research presentations.  Students will have ample opportunity to present their work at meetings and also in local seminar series.  For instance, many labs in the Cell Biology program participate in a highly active Cell Biology Research Group, in which students present their research in a weekly meeting. 
  
  
• Journal Clubs.  Students in the cell biology track will have the opportunity to participate in a cell biology-oriented student journal club.  

Research Faculty

Cell Motility, Cytoskeleton and Membranes

• J. Chloe Bulinski : Function of the cytoskeleton during the cell cycle and during differentiation.
• Fred Chang: Cytoskeletal dynamics, cytokinesis and cell polarity in fission yeast
• Gregg G. Gundersen: The regulation and function of the microtubule cytoskeleton.
• Richard H. Kessin: Genetic capacity of Dictyostelium discoideum to study proteolytic mechanisms and regulation.
• Ronald Liem: Cell and molecular biology of the neuronal cytoskeleton and its involvement in neurodegenerative diseases.
• Yinghui Mao: Kinetochore microtubule attachment, chromosome movement, and mitotic checkpoint during mitosis.
• Liza A. Pon: Cytosketetal control of organelle movements and segregation during cell division.
• Steven Rosenfeld: The contributions of functionally important domains within molecular motors to force generation.
• Richard Vallee: Microtubule motor proteins. Motor proteins in axonal transport, brain developmental disease, and synaptic function.
• Howard J. Worman: The studies of the inner nuclear membrane and its proteins.

Intracellular transport and Membranes

• Gilbert Di Paolo: Role of phosphoinositides in organelle trafficking, cytoskeletal dynamics and disease-related processes.
• Jonathan Dworkin: Cell biology of sporulation and cell wall in bacteria
• Yinghui Mao: Kinetochore microtubule attachment, chromosome movement, and mitotic checkpoint during mitosis.
• Steven M. Greenberg: Macrophage signal transduction; role of low molecular weight GTPases in innate immunity.
• Gregg G. Gundersen: The regulation and function of the microtubule cytoskeleton
• Liza A. Pon: Cytosketetal control of organelle movements and segregation during cell division.
• Steven Rosenfeld: The contributions of functionally important domains within molecular motors to force generation.
• James Rothman: Elucidating the underlying mechanisms of transport within cells
• Ira Tabas: Cellular and molecular processes related to arterial wall biology and atherogenesis.
• Richard Vallee: Microtubule motor proteins. Motor proteins in axonal transport, brain developmental disease, and synaptic function.

Cell Division and Cell cycle

• J. Chloe Bulinski: Function of the cytoskeleton during the cell cycle and during differentiation.
• Fred Chang: Cytoskeletal dynamics, cytokinesis and cell polarity in fission yeast.
• Yinghui Mao: Kinetochore microtubule attachment, chromosome movement, and mitotic checkpoint during mitosis.
• Jean Gautier: Maintenance of genetic integrity: DNA replication and response to DNA damage.
• Laura Johnston: Control of cell growth and cell division.

Cell Biology of Neurons

• William Dauer: Studies of the fundamental molecular and cellular mechanisms of diseases that disrupt normal motor control.
   
• Gilbert Di Paolo: Role of phosphoinositides in organelle trafficking, cytoskeletal dynamics and disease-related processes.
• Daniel Goldberg: Cellular and molecular mechanisms of axon growth and synapse formation.
• James E. Goldman: Glial differentiation in mammalian CNS development; progenitors in the adult CNS.
• Lloyd A. Greene: Molecular mechanisms governing neuronal differentiation and survival.
    
• Wes Grueber: Mechanisms of dendritic morphogenesis and patterning.
• Ronald Liem: Cell and molecular biology of the neuronal cytoskeleton and its involvement in neurodegenerative diseases.
• Carol A. Mason: Molecular mechanisms of axon guidance and synaptogenesis.
    
• Brian McCabe: Molecular genetics of synaptic development and plasticity.
• Peter Scheiffele (Physiology, Neurobiology): Molecular mechanisms of synapse formation.
• Michael L. Shelanski: Role of cytoskeleton, cell cycle machinery, and proteases in neuronal degeneration.
• Richard Vallee: Microtubule motor proteins. Motor proteins in axonal transport, brain developmental disease, and synaptic function.
   
• Hynek Wichterle: The use of stem cells to study the development and function of the nervous system.

Stem Cell Biology

• Fiona Doetsch: The nature and function of stem cells for adult neurogenesis.
• Boris Reizis: Stem cell maintenance and dendritic cell development.
• Hynek Wichterle: The use of stem cells to study the development and function of the nervous system