Sean Conner, PhD

Signaling between cells and the uptake of macromolecular nutrients are mediated through cell surface receptors. Cellular mechanisms that control receptor trafficking through the endosomal compartment must be robust and act with high fidelity since failure to efficiently internalize or appropriately sort nutrient or signaling receptors can have dire consequences, ranging from heart disease to cancer. Research in the lab is directed toward understanding the mechanisms that govern receptor removal from the plasma membrane as well as their intracellular sorting and recycling. We employ a combination of genetic and mammalian cell-based assays to understand how nutrient and signaling receptor transport is controlled. To resolve the molecular details of how cells regulate receptor endocytosis and intracellular sorting, we complement cell-based assays with biochemical and combinatorial approaches.