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Laboratories

Membrane Trafficking in Disease: Mark A. McNiven

  • Overview
  • Research Team
  • Focus Areas
    • Lipid Droplet Biology and Fatty Liver
    • Mechanisms of Hepatitis B Infection
    • Tumor Cell Growth and Migration
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  • Pancreatic tumor cell showing the actin cytoskeleton and the epidermal growth factor receptor

    Defining the cellular mechanisms of liver and pancreatic cancer and metabolic disease

    This pancreatic tumor cell shows the actin cytoskeleton (red) and the epidermal growth factor receptor (green). It illustrates how internalizing excess growth factor receptors contributes to unchecked growth.

  • Scanning electron micrograph of an

    Understanding cytoskeletal dynamics that drive many cellular processes

    Scanning electron micrograph of an "unroofed" cell showing the complexity of the actin cytoskeleton lying just beneath the plasma membrane. Actin filaments and even individual actin monomers can be visualized with this method.

  • Fluorescence micrograph showing the actin cytoskeleton, microtubule cytoskeleton and the Golgi apparatus in a healthy cell

    A cell's cytoskeleton contributes to its function, shape and motility, and it controls the trafficking of many different proteins and organelles in both healthy and diseased tissues

    This fluorescence micrograph shows the actin cytoskeleton (red), microtubule cytoskeleton (green) and the Golgi apparatus (blue) in a healthy cell.

  • Transmission electron micrograph showing fat being catabolized by lysosomes through the process of autophagy after a period of nutrient restriction

    Autophagic processes are tightly controlled and are important for maintaining cellular health

    Transmission electron micrograph showing fat (lipid droplets, large white structures) being catabolized by lysosomes through the process of autophagy after a period of nutrient restriction.

  • Pancreatic tumor cell modifying and degrading extracellular matrix as it migrates.

    Defining the mechanisms of pancreatic cancer metastasis

    Pancreatic tumor cell (actin, green) modifying and degrading extracellular matrix (red) as it migrates. The black areas are where the cell has secreted degradative enzymes and destroyed the extracellular matrix, a technique tumor cells use to invade into adjacent tissues during metastasis.

Overview

Mayo Clinic's Membrane Trafficking in Disease Laboratory is headed by Mark A. McNiven, Ph.D., Gina Razidlo, Ph.D., and Hong Cao, M.D. The lab's research is focused on membrane and cytoskeletal interactions that drive dynamic processes such as vesicle transport and migration that are essential to the health and disease of the pancreas, lung and liver. Disruptions to these dynamic functions can lead to life-threatening diseases such as cancer, steatosis or hepatitis.

Supported by the National Institutes of Health and National Cancer Institute, the lab's research is organized into three distinct but related disease-based focus areas that include:

  • Tumor cell growth and migration.
  • Lipid droplet biology as it drives fatty liver and cancer.
  • Hepatitis B viral infection.

Affiliations

The Membrane Trafficking in Disease Laboratory is affiliated with other Mayo Clinic research areas.

  • Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Cell Genomics, Signaling and Metastasis
  • Gastroenterology and Hepatology
  • Advanced Clinical Trials and Translational Sciences
  • Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center — Research
  • Mayo Clinic Hepatobiliary SPORE

TUMOR CELL GROWTH AND MIGRATION

MECHANISMS OF HEPATITIS B INFECTION

MEDIA

LIPID DROP BIOLOGY AND FATTY LIVER

RESEARCH TEAM

 

CONTACT

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ORG-00111574

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