Dan Shaye, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Physiology and Biophysics
Contact
Building & Room:
COMRB 2141
Office Phone:
Fax:
Lab
Building & Room:
COMRB 2160
Email:
Related Sites:
Interests Heading link
We are focused on deciphering the genetic and cell biological regulation of tubulogenesis; the process of biological tube formation and maintenance. We use C. elegans and vertebrate models of tubulogenesis to discover and understand genes involved in this process.
About
The C.elegans excretory canal (ExCa) is a single-celled tube that is an excellent model to study biological tube formation (tubulogenesis). Genes that regulate ExCa development and maintenance have human homologs implicated in kidney and vascular disease. We use the ExCa to discover and study new tubulogenesis regulators. Some genes that regulate ExCa tubulogenesis have been implicated in angiogenesis; the creation of new blood vessels from existing ones. We also use human cell culture models to ask whether genes that we discover in C. elegans may play conserved roles in human angiogenesis.