Jiayi Chen
Contact Information
Assistant Professor
Areas of Expertise
- Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology
Education
- PhD, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Fudan University
- BS, Biology, Fudan University
Research Description
The cytoskeleton, including microtubules, actin filaments, and intermediate filaments, undergoes constant remodeling in response to diverse cellular cues. We employ complementary multidisciplinary approaches to decipher how the dynamics and organization of microtubules and intermediate filaments are regulated. Our toolkit integrates structural methods (cryo-EM and X-ray crystallography) to elucidate molecular mechanisms at atomic resolution, real-time visualization techniques (high-resolution light microscopy) to capture polymer dynamics, and functional characterization methods (mass spectrometry, biophysics, and cell biology) to assess posttranslational modifications and physical properties. Through this integrated approach, we aim to understand how cytoskeletal meshwork supports fundamental cellular processes and to identify how dysregulation contributes to pathological conditions.