User:Ryan T. Willett: Difference between revisions

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[[Image:rtw_portrait.jpg|thumb|right|Ryan T. Willett]]
[[Image:rtw_portrait.jpg|thumb|right|Ryan T. Willett]]


I am a graduate student finishing up my PhD in the Laboratory of Lloyd Greene at Columbia University. A wide spectrum of topics and problems interest me but my work lately has been centered around combinatorial transcription factor expression and its role on cell fate selection in neural differentiation. [[OpenWetWare]] caught my attention in a writeup on DIY, howebrew biology in New Scientist magazine.
I am a starting up my postdoc in the laboratory of Alexandra Joyner at MSKCC. Our lab studies how the Engrailed family of homeodomain transcription factors and Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) signaling pathway shape the morphology, cytoarchitecture, cell fate specification, and circuitry formation of the cerebellum. Additionally, we study role of dysregulation of the Hedgehog pathway as a driving influence in several cancers, such as prostate and medulloblastoma. My project, in its beginning stages, will focus on characterization of the function of the Engrailed family of homeodomain transcription factors, the communication between Engrailed proteins and the Hedgehog pathway, identification of Engrailed gene targets that they act upon during transcriptional regulation, and identification of protein cofactors that they bind with to carry out this function.
 
[[OpenWetWare]] caught my attention in a writeup on DIY, howebrew biology in New Scientist magazine.


==Contact Info==
==Contact Info==
*Laboratory of Lloyd Greene
*Research Fellow
*Laboratory of Dr. Alexandra Joyner


*Columbia University - Department of Pharmacology, Center for Neurobiology and Behavior
*Sloan-Kettering Institute - Developmental Biology Program
*New York, NY, USA  
*New York, NY, USA  
*[[Special:Emailuser/Ryan T. Willett|Contact Information]]
*[[Special:Emailuser/Ryan T. Willett|Contact Information]]
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==Education==
==Education==
<!--Include info about your educational background-->
<!--Include info about your educational background-->
* 2010 PhD, Columbia University (finishing)
* 2011-present Postdoctoral training, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (Advisor: Dr. Alexandra Joyner)
* 2002 BS, Brandeis University - Biology
* 2010 PhD, Columbia University (Advisor: Dr. Lloyd Greene)
* 2002 BS, Brandeis University - Biology (Advisor: Dr. Michael Rosbash)
* 2002 BA, Brandeis University - Biochemistry
* 2002 BA, Brandeis University - Biochemistry
* 2000 Harvard University Medical School. Summer Fellowship in the Laboratory of T Keith Blackwell at the Center for Blood Research (now the Immune Disease Institute)


==Awards==
==Awards==
* Brian Hoffman Award for Excellence in Graduate Studies
* Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (F32, NINDS)
* Graduated with High Honors in Biology for the undergraduate thesis "Posttranscriptional Analysis of Circadian Rhythms" in the laboratory of Michael Rosbash
* Brian F. Hoffman Award for Excellence in Graduate Studies of Pharmacology (Columbia University)
* Graduated with High Honors in Biology for the undergraduate thesis "Posttranscriptional Analysis of Circadian Rhythms" in the laboratory of Michael Rosbash (Brandeis University)


==Expertise==
==Expertise==
*molecular biology
*molecular biology
*RNA/DNA/protein biochemistry
*RNA/DNA/protein biochemistry
*cell culture and generation of stable cell lines
*cell culture and generation of stably transfected cell lines
*dissection and primary cell culture
*dissection and primary cell culture
*animal surgery
*rodent survival surgery
*mouse genetics
* ''in utero'' electroporation of DNA into rat embryos
* ''in utero'' electroporation of DNA into rat embryos
*pseudotype recombinant retrovirus production and purification
*pseudotyped recombinant retrovirus production and purification
*histology
*immunohistology


==Research interests==
==Research interests==
<!-- Feel free to add brief descriptions to your research interests as well -->
<!-- Feel free to add brief descriptions to your research interests as well -->
# Neural Development
# Neurodevelopment
# Stem cell biology
# Stem cell biology
# Genetic Engineering / Gene Therapy
# Cancer biology
# Bioengineering
# Molecular Genetics
# Biochemistry
# Biochemistry
# Genomics
# Bioinformatics
# Bioinformatics


==Publications==
==Publications==
<!-- Replace the PubMed ID's ("pmid=#######") below with the PubMed ID's for your publications.  You can add or remove lines as needed
'''Willett RT''' and Greene LA. (2011) "Gata2 is Required for Migration and Differentiation of Retinorecipient Neurons in the Superior Colliculus". '' J Neurosci'' 31(12):4444-55
<biblio>
#Paper1 pmid=6947258
#Paper2 pmid=13718526
// leave a comment about a paper here
#Book1 isbn=0879697164
</biblio>
 
-->
 
Biswas SC, Zhang Y, Iyirhiaro G, Willett RT, Rodriguez-Gonzalez Y, Cregan SP, Slack RS, Park DS, Greene LA. (2010) '''SERTAD1 Plays an Essential Role in Developmental and Pathological Neuron Death'''. ''J Neurosci'' 30(11):3973-3982


Malagelada C, Lopez-Toledano MA, Willett RT, Jin ZH, Shelanski ML, Greene LA. '''Role of RTP801 in Neural Stem Cell Maintenance and Differentiation'''. (in preparation)
Malagelada C, Lopez-Toledano MA, '''Willett RT''', Jin ZH, Shelanski ML, Greene LA. (2011) '''Role of RTP801 in Neural Stem Cell Maintenance and Differentiation'''. '' J Neurosci'' 31(9):3186-96


Willett RT and Greene LA. '''Gata2 is Required for Neural Migration and Differentiation in the Superior Colliculus'''. (in preparation)
Biswas SC, Zhang Y, Iyirhiaro G, '''Willett RT''', Rodriguez-Gonzalez Y, Cregan SP, Slack RS, Park DS, Greene LA. (2010) "SERTAD1 Plays an Essential Role in Developmental and Pathological Neuron Death".  ''J Neurosci'' 30(11):3973-3982


==My Links==
==My Links==

Latest revision as of 19:26, 28 June 2012

Ryan T. Willett

I am a starting up my postdoc in the laboratory of Alexandra Joyner at MSKCC. Our lab studies how the Engrailed family of homeodomain transcription factors and Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) signaling pathway shape the morphology, cytoarchitecture, cell fate specification, and circuitry formation of the cerebellum. Additionally, we study role of dysregulation of the Hedgehog pathway as a driving influence in several cancers, such as prostate and medulloblastoma. My project, in its beginning stages, will focus on characterization of the function of the Engrailed family of homeodomain transcription factors, the communication between Engrailed proteins and the Hedgehog pathway, identification of Engrailed gene targets that they act upon during transcriptional regulation, and identification of protein cofactors that they bind with to carry out this function.

OpenWetWare caught my attention in a writeup on DIY, howebrew biology in New Scientist magazine.

Contact Info

  • Research Fellow
  • Laboratory of Dr. Alexandra Joyner
  • Sloan-Kettering Institute - Developmental Biology Program
  • New York, NY, USA
  • Contact Information

Education

  • 2011-present Postdoctoral training, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (Advisor: Dr. Alexandra Joyner)
  • 2010 PhD, Columbia University (Advisor: Dr. Lloyd Greene)
  • 2002 BS, Brandeis University - Biology (Advisor: Dr. Michael Rosbash)
  • 2002 BA, Brandeis University - Biochemistry

Awards

  • Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (F32, NINDS)
  • Brian F. Hoffman Award for Excellence in Graduate Studies of Pharmacology (Columbia University)
  • Graduated with High Honors in Biology for the undergraduate thesis "Posttranscriptional Analysis of Circadian Rhythms" in the laboratory of Michael Rosbash (Brandeis University)

Expertise

  • molecular biology
  • RNA/DNA/protein biochemistry
  • cell culture and generation of stably transfected cell lines
  • dissection and primary cell culture
  • rodent survival surgery
  • mouse genetics
  • in utero electroporation of DNA into rat embryos
  • pseudotyped recombinant retrovirus production and purification
  • immunohistology

Research interests

  1. Neurodevelopment
  2. Stem cell biology
  3. Cancer biology
  4. Molecular Genetics
  5. Biochemistry
  6. Genomics
  7. Bioinformatics

Publications

Willett RT and Greene LA. (2011) "Gata2 is Required for Migration and Differentiation of Retinorecipient Neurons in the Superior Colliculus". J Neurosci 31(12):4444-55

Malagelada C, Lopez-Toledano MA, Willett RT, Jin ZH, Shelanski ML, Greene LA. (2011) Role of RTP801 in Neural Stem Cell Maintenance and Differentiation. J Neurosci 31(9):3186-96

Biswas SC, Zhang Y, Iyirhiaro G, Willett RT, Rodriguez-Gonzalez Y, Cregan SP, Slack RS, Park DS, Greene LA. (2010) "SERTAD1 Plays an Essential Role in Developmental and Pathological Neuron Death". J Neurosci 30(11):3973-3982

My Links