James B. Moseley, Ph.D.

Research

The goal of my research is to understand how cell geometry controls biological activities through the spatial organization of signaling components. My lab is focused on the long-standing question of how the size and shape of a cell can trigger cell cycle transitions, a connection that generates cell size checkpoints in a wide range of cell types. For this work, we use the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe as a model system because of its simple geometry and genetic tools. By combining multi-generational microscopy with controlled changes in cell shape, we seek to uncover how physical geometry can act as an “input” signal to direct the “output” function of a signaling cascade.