Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Faculty Profiles
Cara Gottardi, PhD

Cara Gottardi, PhD

Associate Professor of Medicine (Pulmonary and Critical Care)

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Focus of Work

Bio

Cell-cell adhesion in health and disease

Academic Focus

We are interested in how cells stick to each other, what constitutes dynamic versus static adhesion at the molecular level, and how the state of cell-cell adhesion is interpreted by the nucleus to control gene expression and cellular differentiation. These processes are highly relevant to human health and disease because the proteins comprising the major macromolecular adhesion complex on cells (known as the cadherin/catenin complex) are associated with numerous diseases ranging from proliferati...[Read full text]We are interested in how cells stick to each other, what constitutes dynamic versus static adhesion at the molecular level, and how the state of cell-cell adhesion is interpreted by the nucleus to control gene expression and cellular differentiation. These processes are highly relevant to human health and disease because the proteins comprising the major macromolecular adhesion complex on cells (known as the cadherin/catenin complex) are associated with numerous diseases ranging from proliferative/invasive conditions like cancer and fibrosis to chronic conditions such as asthma. We collaborate with Drosophila geneticists, biochemists/ crystallographers, biophysicists and physician scientists with access to patient sample data sets for these investigations.[Shorten text]

Keywords

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Cell BiologySignal TransductionCell Adhesion MechanismsGene RegulationFibrosisRespiratory DiseasesCancer BiologyLung Cancer / Chest Cancer

Education and Certification

  • PhD: Yale University (1994)

Contact

312-503-4123

McGaw Pavilion Suite M-323
240 E Huron
Chicago IL 60611

Links

Institutes and Centers