Janetopoulos Lab- Personnel

Lab Personnel

	Dr. Christopher Janetopoulos Assistant Professor Biological Sciences Email: c.janetopoulos@vanderbilt.edu Dr. Janetopoulos started his scientific career as a biology and premedical major at Augustana College , Rock Island , IL . He received his Ph.D. from the Department of Biology at Texas A&M University in 1999. His Ph.D. work in the laboratory of Dr. Karl Aufderheide focused on micromanipulation of organelles in living cells using laser optical optical force traps and led to the discovery of a novel organelle during Tetrahmena thermophila...read more
	Dr. Kamalakkannan Srinivasan Postdoctoral Research Associate Biological Sciences Email: kamalakkannan.srinivasan@vanderbilt.edu I completed PhD at Anna University, Chennai, India and post doctoral positions at University of Kentucky Lexington-KY and University of Tennessee Health Science Centre, Memphis-TN. My current research involves elucidating the role of PIP5K family protein in chemoattractant induced cell migration, cell polarity and cytokinesis. Chemoattractant induced cell polarization that is accumulation of PI (3, 4, 5) P3 at leading edge and...read more
	Dr. Gus Wright Postdoctoral Research Associate Biological Sciences Email: gus.a.wright@vanderbilt.edu P.I. Dr. Chris Janetopoulos I am interested in understanding the adaptation mechanisms of GPCRs and heterotrimeric proteins during chemotaxis in Dictyostelium discoideum. Techniques in the lab involve fluorescence live cell imaging using wide-field, TIRF, and confocal microscopy. Other microscopy techniques used are FRAP, TIRF-FRAP, FRET, and...read more
	Dawit Johar PhD Candidate Biological Sciences Email: dawit.k.jowhar@vanderbilt.Edu I am working on developing microfluidic devices that are used for studying chemotactic phenomena in Dictyostelium cells. These devices integrate microfluidic and micropipette technology to create environments that generate a stable gradient for Dictyostelium cells moving towards cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) or folic acid. These devices are easier to load and contain channels and posts with variable heights...read more
	Yuantai Wu PhD Candidate Biological Sciences Email: yuantai.wu@vanderbilt.edu I am interested in chemotaxis in Dictyostelium discoideum. Chemotaxis is an innate cellular response required by many single-celled organisms to fulfill their daily activities such as seeking food and avoiding toxins. During chemotaxis, cells move directionally along extracellular chemoattractant gradients. Though called social soil ameobae, Dictyostelium live a solitary life unless they are starved. Upon starvation, cells start to...read more
	Noelle Holmes PhD Candidate Biological Sciences Email: noelle.k.holmes@vanderbilt.Edu
	Yingjun Yan Lab Manager Email: yingjun.yan@vanderbilt.edu