Douglas R. Kellogg, Ph.D.

Research

Cell growth and cell division must be precisely integrated to ensure successful cell division and maintenance of a specific cell size. Cell size checkpoints control cell growth by ensuring that cells initiate cell cycle transitions only when they have reached a critical size. Fundamental questions regarding control of cell size and cell growth remain unanswered: What are the molecular events that are monitored to assess cell size? What are the signals that link cell size to the cell cycle control machinery? How are subtle differences in cell size converted to all-or-nothing signals that trigger key cell cycle transitions? We are using biochemistry, genetics, and mathematical modeling to understand the signaling networks that control cell size and cell growth in budding yeast. Our interests are focused in three areas, including: 1) How do external signals and cell growth control the decision to enter the cell cycle in G1 phase? 2) How is entry into mitosis linked to cell size? 3) What are the mechanisms that trigger switch-like entry into mitosis?