Dominique Alfandari

Assistant Professor Dominique Alfandari is studying how cells in a frog embryo migrate from the back of its head to form its face. Because the migration process is the same in human embryos, his study could help to identify genes that are markers for abnormalities, such as cleft palate. Dominique focuses on how the gene family ADAM (enzymes that cut other proteins) affects the cells' movement. His research has already shown that inhibiting the function of multiple ADAM proteins prevents cell migration, so he is now focusing on individual ADAM proteins to identify which of these are critical for cell movement. Ultimately, his work could show how proteins affect the movement of invading cancer cells.

Related links
Dominique Alfandari Faculty Page
Veterinary and Animal Sciences Department