Jennifer G. DeLuca, Ph.D.

Research

Accurate chromosome segregation during mitosis is necessary to prevent genetic instability and aneuploidy that are associated with cancer and many types of birth defects. Central to nearly all mitotic events are kinetochores, which are large proteinaceous structures located at the primary constriction, or centromere region, of mitotic chromosomes. Kinetochores are the sites where microtubules of the mitotic spindle attach to chromosomes, and they are responsible for producing force at this attachment site for chromosome movements during mitosis. Research in our lab will focus on understanding how the vertebrate kinetochore accomplishes these remarkable tasks during mitosis using a combination of cell biological, biochemical, and proteomic approaches, with special emphasis on high resolution light microscopy. Current studies are focused on the role of the highly conserved Ndc80 complex in kinetochore-microtubule attachment and regulation of chromosome movement. In addition, we are studying how protein kinases at the vertebrate kinetochore contribute to accurate chromosome segregation in mitosis.