Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program
Faculty Mentors

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Alan  F. "Rick"  Horwitz
Degree(s): Ph.D.
Graduate School: Stanford University
Primary Appointment: Professor of Cell Biology
Research Interests:
Synapse Formation and Cell Migration in Normal and Pathobiology-Adhesion, Signaling, Imaging and Proteomics

Email Address: afh2n@virginia.edu
Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program(s)
  • Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Neuroscience
    • Research Description

    Our major research goal is to elucidate the mechanisms that underlie directed cell migration from its initiation to its termination. This interest stems from the pivotal role of migration in a variety of normal and pathological processes extending from the development to the adult. During development, for example, cells migrate from their birthplaces to distant locations where they then differentiate. While this process is repeated throughout the embryo, it plays out spectacularly in the nervous system. Neuronal precursors migrate from their birthplaces to their final residences and then proceed to extend neuronal growth cones to their targets, where they form synaptic connections with appropriate target cells. In this context, it is no surprise that a large fraction of the congenital brain and heart defects arise from perturbed cell migration. Migration contributes to numerous pathological phenomena as well. It plays a pivotally role in the formation of tumors, which requires the invasion of vasculature as well as in metastasis, the spread of tumors from the primary tumor mass to distant sites where secondary tumors form. Migration also contributes to other disease processes including chronic inflammatory diseases, via leukocyte invasion and vascular disease via smooth muscle migration. Finally, migration participates centrally in normal tissue regeneration and wound repair.

    Current research projects include: a) the assembly and disassembly of adhesions, b) the trafficking of adhesion components, c) characterizing the migration proteome d) developing in vivo systems for studying migration e) developing new imaging technologies for migration studies, and f) studying mechanisms of synapse formation and spine dynamics. While most of our studies utilize migrating fibroblasts and neuronal cells, we are interested in any aspect of migration and migration related phenomena - from embryonic development to cancer and regeneration.

    Selected Publications
  • Vicente-Manzanares M, Zareno J, Whitmore L, Choi CK, Horwitz AF (2007) Regulation of protrusion, adhesion dynamics, and polarity by myosins IIA and IIB in migrating cells. (J. Cell Biol., in press).
  • Brown CM, Hebert B, Kolin DL, Zareno J, Whitmore L, Horwitz AR, Wiseman PW (2006) Probing the integrin-actin linkage using high-resolution protein velocity mapping. J. Cell Science. 119(Pt 24): 5204-14. Zhang H.
  • Webb DJ, Asmussen H, Niu S, Horwitz AF (2005) A GIT1/PIX/Rac/PAK/ Signaling module regulates spine morphogenesis and synapse formation through MLC. J of Neuroscience. 25(13): 3379-3388.
  • Webb DJ, Donais K, Whitmore LA, Thomas SM, Turner CE, Parsons JT, Horwitz AF (2004) FAK-Src signalling through paxillin, ERK and MLCK regulates adhesion diassembly. Nat Cell Biol. 6(2): 154-16.
  • PubMed Listings for this Faculty Member
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    Contact Information
      Office Address: PO Box 800732, Jordan Hall, 3226, 
      Office Phone: +1 434-243-6813, +1 434-243-6812
      Fax Phone: +1 434-982-3912
      Home Phone: +1 434-244-7447
      Web Site: http://www.people.virginia.edu/~afh2n

    Other Websites for this mentor:
    http://www.people.virginia.edu/~afh2n

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