EMBO Associate Member

Nobutaka Hirokawa

University, Tokyo | Japan

EMBO 2003

Structure, function and motility of kinesins

Our laboratory studies the structure, function and mechanism of motility of kinesin superfamily molecular motors,KIFs, using molecular cell biology, molecular genetics, and structural biology combined with biophysics. Main focus is on the mechanism of intracellular transport, while molecular genetics reveals unexpected important functions of KIFs in higher brain function, brain development, brain wiring, and development of our body.

Keywords: Kinesin superfamily proteins / microtubules / intracellular transport / neurons / cytoskeleton / cell morphogenesis

Subject area(s): Cell & Tissue Architecture | Membranes & Transport | Neuroscience