Research Interests
We are interested in understanding the civil and mechanical engineering marvels within cells. Just like rebar and cables, which provide support to buildings and bridges, support structures of cells are made up of filamentous cytoskeletal elements like actin, microtubule and intermediate filaments. These dictate cellular morphology, generate forces for cell migration, and form intracellular tracks for movement of molecular motor proteins. These networks are highly regulated and are dynamic in nature. Different proteins interact with these filaments and regulate their polymerization, dissociation, or mediate connectivity between them. Deregulation or anomalies of the cytoskeletal network are associated with wide range of diseases like developmental disorders, neurodegeneration, delayed wound healing, and cancer metastasis.

Our labs research focuses towards understanding how different cytoskeletal elements work in unison inside the cell, investigate the molecular basis of regulation of these networks, and how these participate in important cellular functions. We use cutting edge cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), novel image processing methodologies along with biochemical and biophysical techniques to decode these cellular engineering feats.

Google Scholar page https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=6-Tk-uUAAAAJ

Selected Publications

Shaaban, M., Chowdhury, S.#, Nolen, B.J.† Cryo-EM reveals the transition of Arp2/3 complex from inactive to nucleation-competent state. Nature Structural & Molecular Biology. (2020); 27:1009-10016. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41594-020-0481-x . (#Corresponding author)

Rollins, M.F.*, Chowdhury, S.*, Carter, J., Golden, S.M., Miettinen, H.M., Santiago-Frangos, A., Faith, D., Lawrence, C.M., Lander, G.C., Wiedenheft, B. Structure reveals a mechanism of CRISPR-RNA guided nuclease recruitment and anti-CRISPR viral mimicry. Molecular Cell. (2019); 74(1):132-142. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2019.02.001. (*Co-first author)

Chowdhury, S., Otomo, C., Leitner, A., Ohashi, K., Aebersold, R., Lander, G.C., Otomo, T. Insights into autophagosome biogenesis from structural and biochemical analyses of the ATG2A-WIPI4 complex. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA. (2018); 115(42):E9792-E9801. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1811874115.

Grotjahn DA*, Chowdhury S.*, Xu, Y., McKenney, R.J., Schroer, T.A., Lander, G.C. Cryo-electron tomography reveals that dynactin recruits a team of dyneins for processive motility. Nature Structural & Molecular Biology. (2018); 25(3):203-207. DOI: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41594-018-0027-7. (*Co-first author)

Chowdhury, S., Carter, J., Rollins, M.F., Golden, S.M., Jackson, R.N., Hoffmann, C., Nosaka, L., Bondy-Denomy, J., Maxwell, K.L., Davidson, A.R., Fischer, E.R., Lander, G.C., Wiedenheft, B. Structure reveals mechanisms of viral suppressors that Intercept a CRISPR RNA-guided surveillance complex. Cell. (2017); 169(1):47-57.e11. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2017.03.012.

Chowdhury, S., Ketcham, S.A., Schroer, T.A., Lander, G.C. Structural organization of the dynein-dynactin complex bound to microtubules. Nature Structural & Molecular Biology. (2015); 22(4):345-7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2017.03.012.