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Genetics and Molecular Biology

Department of Biology

Drexel Department of Biology Genetics and Molecular Biology
Research in the biology department utilizes manipulative approaches to study gene function and the genetics of disease in a variety of model systems, including C. elegans, Drosophila melanogaster, mice, rats, and mammalian cell culture.  In addition, our research aims to elucidate the molecular basis of biological function, whether the emphasis is on aspects of cell physiology or structure, or on processes like the regulation of gene expression.

Faculty Members

  Faculty Member Expertise
Felice Elefant , Ph.D.
Felice Elefant
Professor
PISB 317
fe22@drexel.edu
  • The Elefant Lab
  • Understanding epigenetic mechanisms that govern higher order brain function via chromatin packaging in neurons
  • Understanding the role(s) of specific HATs in higher order brain function and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease
Denise Garcia
Denise Garcia
Associate Professor,
College of Medicine, Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy Biology
College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Biology (courtesy appointment)
PISB 422
adg82@drexel.edu
  • The Garcia Lab
  • The cellular interactions that facilitate the establishment of neural circuits
  • The structural plasticity and reorganization of the central nervous system (CNS) in the healthy and injured or diseased states
  • The role of astrocytes, part of the larger family of astroglia in the CNS with diverse morphological and functional properties
  • The cellular and molecular mechanisms that define and regulate the diversity of astrocyte function in the intact and injured or diseased CNS
  • How astrocytes contribute to synapse formation and reorganization in vivo
  • The molecular signals that regulate astrocyte function in the intact CNS and following injury
Tali Gidalevitz
Tali Gidalevitz
Associate Professor; Co-Director, Graduate Biology Program
PISB 418
Tali.gidalevitz@drexel.edu
  • Protein misfolding diseases, such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's diseases
  • The mechanism of differential neuronal susceptibility to protein misfolding
  • The role of natural genetic variation and physiological stress in proteostasis
  • Maintaining the ER proteostasis under physiological stress
Kari Lenhart, PhD
Kari Lenhart
Assistant Professor; Co-Director, Graduate Biology Program
PISB 420
kari.f.lenhart@drexel.edu
  • The Lenhart Lab
  • Niche-regulation of stem cell behaviors
  • Genetics and long-term live imaging
  • How somatic stem cells control germline stem cell (GSC) biology
  • How somatic cells regulate restoration of GSCs following stress
  • How soma-germline interactions are disrupted during tumorigenesis and during aging
  • How somatic cells differ between the testis and ovary, how these differences are maintained over time and what impact these differences have on the associated germline
  • How the niche controls stem cell behavior, which may have important implications for stem cell therapies, cancer treatments and ameliorating the effects of aging
Meghan Phifer-Rixey
Megan V. Phifer-Rixey
Associate Professor of Biology
PISB 320
Mp3754@drexel.edu
Nianli Sang, M.B., Ph.D.
Nianli Sang
Associate Professor
PISB 417
nianli.sang@drexel.edu
  • Understanding of cells’ response to insufficiency of oxygen, glucose and glutamine supplies, a condition commonly occurring in solid tumors and ischemic lesions
  • Cellular level sensing systems for glucose and glutamine
  • How oncogenic signaling pathways stimulate and coordinate the utilization of glucose and glutamine
  • How lack of glucose and glutamine together with hypoxia contributes to tumor migration and metastasis
  • How does the ER stress responsive pathway play critical roles in tumor resistance to chemo-radiotherapy