Alaji Bah, Ph.D.

Research

The Bah lab will study the role of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) in the formation of membraneless cellular subcompartments. Inside cells, compartmentalization allows biological processes that are incompatible to proceed simultaneously without interference. Some of these functionally discrete compartments are bound by a membrane that physically separates them; others are more like droplets of oil in water: with no membrane to encase them. These membraneless compartments form with the help of IDPs that act as scaffolds, drawing together the droplet’s molecular constituents and creating a conducive biochemical microenvironment. Now, combining our expertise in generating post-translationally modified IDPs with advanced techniques in biophysics and molecular and structural biology, my lab will elucidate the mechanisms that drive the assembly and activity of membraneless compartments in test tubes and in living cells. In addition, we will study how mutations that cause Rett and Fragile X syndromes disrupt the function of IDPs and prevent the formation of membraneless compartments, work that could lead to novel approaches for understanding the mechanism underlying these neurological disorders.