Peroxisomes labeled with GFP-SKL in budding yeast. Credit: Brooke Gardner
Credit: Brooke Gardner

About Us

One of the defining features of eukaryotic cells is the presence of membrane-bound organelles, which divide the interior of the cell into compartments that can be specialized for specific chemical reactions. While organelles allow the cell to create distinct environments, they also create new challenges for the cell – such as the biogenesis, growth, division, and specialization of the organelle. In the Gardner Lab, we focus on how the cell has solved these challenges for a metabolic organelle, the peroxisome. Using biochemistry, cell biology, and genetics, our ultimate goal is to understand how the cell uses approximately 35 dedicated Pex proteins to make a peroxisome de novo.

Areas of Interest

  • What are the energy-dependent steps of peroxisome biogenesis?
  • How do proteins translocate across the peroxisomal membrane?
  • How does peroxisomal dysfunction impact the cell?

Come Join Us!

Interested in joining the lab?