It is an essential requirement of life that cells interact with their local environment. Cells need to respond to diverse cues, be they physical interactions with neighboring cells or chemical interactions with the environment. MCB faculty take a wide variety of approaches to understand the broad scope of cell signaling and adaptation.
Area Directors
Area Directors help advise students about classes and rotations in their interest area. They also provide a listing of suggested courses for those interested in Cell Signaling & Cell/Environment Interactions.
Faculty Area Directors
- Sandra Bajjalieh, UW Pharmacology (bajjalie@uw.edu)
- Nic Lehrbach, Fred Hutch Basic Sciences (nlehrbach@fredhutch.org)
Student Area Directors
- David Sokolov, Sullivan Lab (sokolovd@uw.edu)
- Kelsey Woodruff, Termini Lab (kwoodru@uw.edu)
Suggested Curriculum
The suggested curriculum outlined below is meant to guide you in choosing classes, they are not requirements. We highly encourage you to take the Foundational courses, while the Electives are more specialized and often cross between Areas of Interest. Remember to review the UW Time Schedule for the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding whether a course is currently being offered.
2022-2023 Suggested Curriculum (document download)
CONJ 531 – Signaling Mechanisms in Excitable Cells
Mechanisms of cellular signaling, particularly in nerve and muscle. Electrical, chemical, and mechanical signaling in the cell that led to processes such as electrical excitability, action potentials, and muscle contraction.
NOTE: this course only covers the first 5-weeks of a quarter-long course, NEURO504. If your main interest is in neurobiological research, we recommend enrolling in the full course (NEURO504).
Offered AUT, 1.5 credits, Weeks 1-5
CONJ 532 – Signal Transduction: From the cell membrane to the nucleus
Intracellular signaling pathways leading from cell membrane receptors to nucleus. Pathways activated by seven transmembrane receptors and G-proteins, insulin/PI3 kinase, nitric oxide and WNTs and mechanisms of signal termination. Cytokine/Jak/Stat signaling and role of subcellular localization in signal transduction.
Offered WIN, 1.5 credits, Weeks 6-10
PHCOL 531 – Genetic Analysis of Signaling Systems
Introduction to classic model organisms including plants, yeast, slime mold, flies, worms, fish, mice, and humans and a discussion of their use in current signal transduction research.
Offered SPR, 3.0 credits, Weeks 1-10, Offered in odd-numbered years, Will be offered in SPR 2023
Signaling occurs in all cells. Because the field of cell signaling is relevant to all aspects of cell and molecular biology, students choosing this area of interest will usually find their work overlaps with at least one of the other areas of interest. Therefore, we advise students who choose this area to identify a secondary (minor) area of interest and include electives from that area in their course plans.
Spotlight
Understanding Signals
From interpreting signals at the plasma membrane, to transducing them through the cytoplasm, to responding to them in the nucleus and other key organelles, Seattle MCB faculty are leading the way to understand cell signaling and interactions. Seattle MCB students are on the cutting-edge using innovative approaches to explore the wide gamut of physiological processes involved in the integration of signals and the subsequent cellular responses.