Erik Lundquist
- Investigator, Child Language Doctoral Program
- Associate Vice Chancellor for Research, University of Kansas Office of Research
- Professor, Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics - Molecular Biosciences, Bioinformatics
Contact Info
1200 Sunnyside Ave
Lawrence, KS 66045-7600
Biography —
Erik Lundquist is a professor in the Department of Molecular Biosciences and one of three associate vice chancellors for research. In his administrative role, he provides support to two of KU’s designated research centers and all of its Core Labs. He also serves as Institutional Official for animal care and use in research.
Key responsibilities:
- Oversees budget and operations for:
- Animal Care Unit (ACU) and other Office of Research-managed core laboratories
- Center for Research Computing, a community cluster for high-performance computing
- Higuchi Biosciences Center (HBC)
- Oversees research space allocation and management in Office of Research-managed facilities (Structural Biology Center, Multidisciplinary Research Building, Life Science Research Laboratory, Wakarusa Research Facility, St. Andrews Research Facility, and Nichols Hall). Also manages space in the Integrated Science Building in collaboration with the College and the Provost’s Office.
- Serves as Institutional Official for the Animal Care and Use Program (IACUC).
- Organizes limited submission reviews for natural sciences/biomedical programs, including NSF MRIs and NIH COBREs.
- Reviews affiliate status requests for the natural sciences.
Research —
Developmental Neurobiology
Members of the Lundquist lab study the molecular mechanisms of nervous system development using the nematode C. elegans as a model. In particular, researchers in the lab study how the Rac GTPases regulate the actin cytoskeleton during axon outgrowth and in growth cone morphology (in the formation of growth cone lamellipodia and filopodia). Furthermore, lab members are interested in the molecular mechanisms of neuroblast polarization and migration and the roles of receptors and ligands in the control of direction of polarization and migration as well as the role of cytoplasmic signaling molecules (e.g. GTPases, kinases) in this process. The processes of neuronal polarization and migration and axon pathfinding sculpt the structure of the mammalian central nervous system, including the human brain, so understanding conserved mechanisms of morphogenesis will be important to understanding the basis of human developmental disorders and might elucidate mechanisms of central nervous system recovery after trauma such as spinal cord injury or stroke.
Recent work has focused on the role of the Rho GTPases in neuronal development. Rho GTPases are members of signaling pathways that link guidance receptors to the cytoskeleton. the lab has identified the UNC-115 protein (called abLIM in humans), which is actin-binding protein that acts with Rho GTPases and might modulate the actin cytoskeleton directly in response to guidance signals. Other studies in the lab have identified new and previously-identified proteins that control growth cone outgrowth during development of the nervous system.
Research Interests
- Developmental neurobiology
- Genetics
- Genomics