Cells use an extensive toolkit of myosin motor proteins to traffic materials, anchor components, and control their shape. The focus of our group is to understand biological motion, specifically how motor proteins navigate the cytoskeleton and dynamically organize cells. We use a multifaceted approach, constructing advanced single-molecule fluorescence microscopes and optical tweezers to watch how myosins move in vitro and in whole cells. We also use structural biology tools to understand how myosin architecture and quaternary structure regulates motility.
Ronald S. Rock, PhD
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Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Committee on Cancer Biology - Research and Scholarly Interests: Actin Cytoskeleton, Myosins, Optical Tweezers, Single Molecule, Structural Biology, TIRF Microscopy
- Websites: Rock Lab, Research Network Profile
- Contact: rrock@uchicago.edu
- Graduate Programs: Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics, Cancer Biology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, UChicago Biosciences