Fred Chang, PhD, MD

Professor
Department of Cell & Tissue Biology
+1 415 476-8922
Research Description: 

The Chang Lab studies fundamental questions concerning spatial organization and mechanics within a single cell: How are cell shape and size determined? How do cells sense their own size, or their shape? How do molecular dynamics and cell mechanics contribute to determine the growth, size and shape of cells? To address these questions, we study primarily the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. These are rod-shaped eukaryotic cells that display a highly uniform size and morphology. Many of our studies use live cell imaging and image analyses to develop quantitative models. Projects include: regulation of cell size and growth, regulation of nuclear size, physical properties of the cytoplasm, diffusion and osmotic pressure. We use interdisciplinary approaches, combining the expertise and perspectives of cell biologists, geneticists, physicists, engineers and modelers.

Primary Thematic Area: 
Cancer Biology & Cell Signaling
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Virology & Microbial Pathogenesis
Research Summary: 
We study the regulation of cell size and shape in fission yeast S. pombe
Mentorship Development: 

4/12/19    Acknowleding and Negotiating the Mentee-Mentor Tensions Inherent in the Research Lab (Parnassus)
4/29/19    Sharpening your Mentoring Skills (SyMS) with Sharon Milgram (Parnassus)
2/16/21   Three Truths & Three Tries: Facing & Overcoming Critical Social Justice Challenges at the Micro, Mezzo & Macro Levels

Websites

Publications: 

Intracellular diffusion in the cytoplasm increases with cell size in fission yeast.

Molecular biology of the cell

Tan C, Lanz MC, Swaffer M, Skotheim J, Chang F

Control of nuclear size by osmotic forces in Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

eLife

Lemière J, Real-Calderon P, Holt LJ, Fai TG, Chang F

Physical properties of the cytoplasm modulate the rates of microtubule polymerization and depolymerization.

Developmental cell

Molines AT, Lemière J, Gazzola M, Steinmark IE, Edrington CH, Hsu CT, Real-Calderon P, Suhling K, Goshima G, Holt LJ, Thery M, Brouhard GJ, Chang F