Peter W. Baas (pbaas@drexelmed.edu)
Professor and Lab Director
Dr. Baas earned his PhD from Michigan State University, and then trained as a Postdoctoral Fellow at Temple University. From there, he was on the faculty of the University of Wisconsin for ten years before joining the faculty of Drexel University in 2000. Dr. Baas is interested in all aspects of the neuronal cytoskeleton, with a particular emphasis on the regulation of microtubules in developing neurons. He is currently the Director of the Graduate Program in Neuroscience, and the Director of an NIH-funded Postdoctoral Training Program in the Neurosciences at Drexel University.
Wenqian Yu (wyu@drexelmed.edu)
Research Instructor
Dr. Yu earned her MD from Shanghai Medical University, and then joined the Baas Laboratory in 1993 as a Postdoctoral Fellow. She has remained in the laboratory since, and is currently a Research Instructor. She is the chief cell biologist in the laboratory, and is involved in several of the ongoing projects as well as the training of Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Fellows. She has published on microtubule transport in the axon, the role of the centrosome in generating axonal microtubules, the regulation of the dendritic microtubule array, the fragmentation of microtubules underlying collateral branch formation, and the role of microtubule severing proteins and molecular motor proteins in regulating key events in the establishment of neuronal polarity. Dr. Yu is the recipient of the prestigious Edward Jekkal Award.
Joanna Solowska (jsolowsk@drexelmed.edu)
Senior Scientist
Dr. Solowska earned her Ph.D. from the Institute of Immunology and Experimental Oncology in Gliwice, Poland in 1986. She is now the Chief Molecular Biologist in the Baas Laboratory, where she focuses her attention on microtubule-related severing and motor proteins.
Kenneth A. Myers (kam67@drexel.edu)
Postdoctoral Fellow
Ken recently obtained his PhD in the Molecular/Cell Biology and Genetics program at Drexel University. He received a B.S. degree in Biology from Philadelphia University in 2002 before joining the Baas laboratory in 2003 as a doctoral student. Ken's research is directed towards elucidating the mechanisms of microtubule transport in the axon, with particular emphasis on cytoskeleton interactions with molecular motor proteins. He will be joining the laboratory of Dr. Clare Waterman-Storer at NIH next year, and until then, he is continuing his work with Dr. Baas as a Postdoctoral Fellow.
Liang "Oscar" Qiang (lq24@drexel.edu)
Graduate Student
Oscar is a doctoral student in the Molecular/Cell Biology and Genetics program at Drexel University. He received an M.D. degree in 2000 and a Masters degree of Anatomy in 2003 from Nantong University College of Medicine, China before joining the Baas laboratory in 2003. Oscar's thesis research project is aimed at elucidating the mechanisms by which microtubule severing proteins are regulated during neuronal development.
C. Vidya Nadar (vcn32@drexel.edu)
Graduate Student
Vidya is a doctoral student in the Neuroscience Program at Drexel University. She earned her M.S. degree from the Tata Istitute of Fundamental Research in India in 2004, after which she joined the Baas Laboratory in 2005 for her doctoral studies. Vidya's thesis research project is on the role of cytoplasmic dynein and kinesin-5 in growth cone behavior.
Aditi Falnikar (af347@drexel.edu)
Graduate Student
Aditi is a doctoral student in the Neuroscience program at Drexel University. She earned her M.S. degree from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India in 2006, after which she joined the Baas Laboratory in 2006 for her doctoral studies. Aditi's thesis research project is aimed at elucidating the organization of microtubule array in migrating neurons. This is essential for understanding the dynamics of forces that facilitate neuronal migration. Findings from this research may be of direct relevance for comprehending the mechanisms of developmental disorders such as autism, where defective migration of neurons in certain regions of the brain is implicated to be the cause.
Irina Tint (ist@drexelmed.edu)
Postdoctoral Fellow
Dr. Tint earned her Ph.D. in Experimental Oncology from Russian Cancer Research Center in Moscow. She joined Dr. Baas lab in 2006 as a Postdoctoral Fellow. Her scientific interests include the regulation of microtubule organization by microtubule-associated proteins and molecular motors.
