Primary Faculty
The Department of Cell Biology has 18 primary faculty dedicated to the latest research in cell biology as well as teaching. See also the listings of faculty by research themes in the drop down menu or click on any name to see a full profile of each faculty member.
Scott H. Soderling, Ph.D., Professor and Chair
Synaptic signaling to the actin cytoskeleton; synaptic basis of neuropsychiatric disorders
Michel Bagnat, Ph.D., Professor - Nanaline Duke Distinguished Professor in the School of Medicine
Cellular mechanisms of tube formation and fluid secretion in zebrafish
Suzanne Barbour, Ph.D., Professor, Dean of the Graduate School and Vice Provost for Graduate Education
Serves as the senior administrator in The Graduate School and responsible for all policies and procedures in the graduate programs
Blanche Capel, Ph.D., Vice Chair of Faculty Affairs and James B. Duke Professor
Sex determination and mammalian development
Yarui Diao, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Gene regulation in tissue regeneration and tumorigenesis
Stefano Di Talia, Ph.D., Associate Professor
Quantitative systems level approach to Developmental Biology
Sharyn Endow, Ph.D., Professor
Molecular motor structure/function
Harold P. Erickson, Ph.D., James B. Duke Professor
Cytoskeleton of eukaryotes and bacteria; cell adhesion and extracellular matrix
Cagla Eroglu, Ph.D., Vice Chair of Research, Professor - Chancellor's Distinguished Professor of Cell Biology, and HHMI Investigator
Synapse formation in the CNS; Role of astrocytes in synapse formation
Chantell Evans, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Mitochondrial regulation in neurons and neurodegenerative disease
Amy Gladfelter, Ph.D., Professor
Mechanisms of cytoplasm organization and cell shape control in fungi and placenta
Brigid L.M. Hogan, Ph.D., Professor
Mammalian development and organogenesis; tissue stem cells
John Klingensmith, Ph.D., Associate Professor
Molecular genetics of mammalian development and birth defects
Akankshi Munjal, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Uncovering principles of tissue morphogenesis with zebrafish
Christopher V. Nicchitta, Ph.D., Professor
mRNA localization, protein synthesis, and translational regulation
Kenneth D. Poss, Ph.D., James B. Duke Professor
Models, concepts, and mechanisms of tissue regeneration in zebrafish
Purushothama Rao Tata, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Genetic and epigenetic basis of cell identity and plasticity in regeneration and tumorigenesis
Rohit Singh, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics and Department of Cell Biology
Research interests broadly lie in the area of computational biology, leveraging machine learning to develop precision diagnostics and therapeutics
Eda Yildirim, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Epigenetic regulation and nuclear organization in mammalian development and disease