Models to Medicine Center

The overarching goal of BDRM is to understand, manipulate and design in vitro model systems at the cellular, molecular, and tissue levels for applications in disease and regenerative medicine.

The Cellular Dynamics research theme seeks to understand fundamental cellular processes and gain insight into the dysfunctions that result from defects in these processes. Areas of expertise include cell division and chromosome segregation, molecular motor proteins, cytoskeleton regulation and dynamics, cell growth and renewal, and cancer cell biology.

The CReATE research theme comprises a group of reproductive and developmental biologists whose individual research is focused on understanding the mechanisms underlying reproduction and embryonic development and the effect of the environment in those processes. In addition, environmental factors that disrupt developmental processes either in the embryo or later in life can result in a range of reproductive disorders. Our group is also interested in studying how environmental toxicants affect later life health and reproduction.

Members of the Engineering Models and Mechanisms in Cancer (EM²C) research theme have broad expertise with engineering in vitro models to mimic the complexity of tumors and identification of novel therapeutic targets using primary human tissues. Epidemiology is also a strength among the researchers in EM²C providing insights into risk factors and potential targets.

The infection and immunity research cluster carries out research aimed at improving the health of people and domestic animals, and welcomes interest from potential industry partners.

Genetic and environmental factors that disrupt developmental processes either in the embryo or later in life can result in a range of disorders including cancer and neurodegenerative diseases that arise throughout the lifespan.

Membranes are nature's architecture, enclosing reactive molecules, storing energy, and modulating signals. Their components, membrane proteins and lipids, orchestrate all of life's key processes. Given their importance, it is not surprising that 60 percent of drug targets are membrane proteins.

The Microbiome, Microbes & Infectious Diseases (MMID) theme consists of an interdisciplinary group of 20 investigators from nine Departments: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biology, Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Chemical Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Food Science, Mathematics and Statistics, Microbiology and Veterinary and Animal Science. The overarching goal of MMID is to understand, manipulate and design microbial systems at the molecular, cellular and community levels for translational applications in human health and disease. 

We are a highly collaborative cluster of researchers who study the biology of skeletal and cardiac muscle during development, aging, and pathogenesis. We have expertise in all aspects of muscle biology, including: molecular, cellular and structural biology, energetics and muscle physiology, from the interactions of myosin and actin to single biophysics to human MRI studies. Our primary interests center on atrophy and contractile alterations with exercise and aging, and we are well positioned to engage in a range of projects with the appropriate partners.

The Plant and Microbial Innovation research theme consists of an interdisciplinary group of investigators from the Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biology, Chemical Engineering, and Microbiology. 

Protein Homeostasis comprises all the cellular networks that maintain the proper structure and assembly of the cellular proteome, and it is essential to normal cell function. In the last decade an explosion of discoveries has indicated that imbalances in protein homeostasis are associated with many diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s, as well as many forms of cancer, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, lysosomal storage diseases, and more.