Larry Goldstein, Ph. D.
Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Professor, Dept of Cellular & Molecular Medicine
Director, UC San Diego Stem Cell Program
414 Leichtag Biomedical Research Building
9500 Gilman Drive
UCSD School of Medicine
La Jolla, CA 92093-0683
Tel: (858) 534-9702
Fax: (858) 534-8193
email: lgoldstein@ucsd.edu
Mieko Ueno
Lab Manager
411 Leichtag Biomedical Research Building
9500 Gilman Drive
UCSD School of Medicine
La Jolla, CA 92093-0683
Tel: (858) 534-9700
Fax: (858) 534-8193
email: goldsteinadmin@ucsd.edu
Lab Address (Map):
449 Leichtag Biomedical Research Building
9500 Gilman Drive
UCSD School of Medicine
La Jolla, CA 92093-0683
Tel: (858) 534-9703 or 4-9704
Fax: (858) 534-8193
The Goldstein Laboratory is interested in understanding the molecular mechanisms of intracellular movement and the role of transport dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases. Our focus is on the attachment, function, and regulation of the microtubule motor proteins kinesin and cytoplasmic dynein.
The major questions we are addressing are: 1) What role(s) do these motors play in axonal and dendritic transport, transport of visual system components in photoreceptors, and transport of informational signaling molecules? 2) Does motor-driven transport dysfunction play a major role in neurodegenerative diseases such as retinitis pigmentosum, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrigs disease), Huntingtons Disease and Alzheimers disease? 3) How are kinesins and dyneins coupled to intracellular cargoes and regulated? 4) How are appropriate destinations in the neuron found (e.g., axons versus dendrites)? 5) Do intracellular transport processes play important roles in neuronal cell polarization, signaling, growth, and pathfinding? Technologically, our work utilizes molecular and classical genetics, cell biology, and biochemistry in D. melanogaster and M. musculus. Thus, we are making mutants in defined motor proteins and inferring function by phenotypic analysis. We are also using genetic screens to identify novel proteins that couple motors to cargo and regulate their function.
