Alaji Bah, Ph.D.

Sections

Alaji Bah, Ph.D.
Title
Assistant Professor
Department
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Institution
SUNY Upstate Medical University
Address
750 E. Adams St.
City, State, ZIP
Syracuse, NY 13210
Phone
315-464-8725
Email
[email protected]
Website
https://www.upstate.edu/search/?tab=people&ID=baha&q=alaji
Research field
Biochemistry
Award year
2021

Research

The Bah lab will study the role of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) in the formation of membraneless cellular subcompartments. Inside cells, compartmentalization allows biological processes that are incompatible to proceed simultaneously without interference. Some of these functionally discrete compartments are bound by a membrane that physically separates them; others are more like droplets of oil in water: with no membrane to encase them. These membraneless compartments form with the help of IDPs that act as scaffolds, drawing together the droplet’s molecular constituents and creating a conducive biochemical microenvironment. Now, combining our expertise in generating post-translationally modified IDPs with advanced techniques in biophysics and molecular and structural biology, my lab will elucidate the mechanisms that drive the assembly and activity of membraneless compartments in test tubes and in living cells. In addition, we will study how mutations that cause Rett and Fragile X syndromes disrupt the function of IDPs and prevent the formation of membraneless compartments, work that could lead to novel approaches for understanding the mechanism underlying these neurological disorders.

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