Research
Zinc (II) - Transition metals are critical to life as we know it. One third of all proteins contain a metal ion cofactor and these proteins play roles in a host of fundamental cellular processes. Paradoxically these essential metals are also toxic and cells must tightly regulate metal acquisition, availability, and export. Our research is aimed at understanding how cells maintain a critical balance of metal ions and to identify the mechanisms by which dyshomeostasis lead to disease and degeneration. Learn more here...
Bacterial Pathogenesis - Gram negative bacterial pathogens such as Salmonellahave evolved a sophisticated mechanism for invading and taking over mammalian host cells. This process involves the coordination of multiple bacterial effector proteins. These effector proteins are injected through the Type III Secretion System into a mammalian host cell whereupon they bind to mammalian cell proteins and hijack signaling pathways. Our research is focused on developing strategies for imaging bacterial invasion and replication in order to elucidate the function of individual effector proteins. Learn more here...
Red-Fluorescent Proteins - We currently developing an optically integrated microfluidic cell sorting system and applying this system to the optimization of fluorescent proteins. Although fluorescent proteins are powerful tools for cell biology, their photophysical properties are far from ideal. Our strategy is to screen libraries of cells expressingfluorescent proteins and select those with the desired propertie. Learn more here. Learn more here...
Calcium (II) - In addition to studying how cells regulate transition metals, we are examining how another ion (namely calcium) is affected by aging and disease. Calcium is one of the most fundamental signals in cells and is responsible for controlling diverse processes such as cell growth, cell death, and gene transcription. Calcium signals are notoriously organized in both time and space. We use genetically encoded calcium sensors to examine the spatial distribution of these signals and how they are altered by disease. Learn more here...
The Palmer lab is also associated with the following training programs and initiatives:
The Jennie Smoly Biotechnology Building (JSCBB) Microscopy Core
NSF IGERT in Computational Optical Sensing and Imaging
Colorado Initiative in Biotechnology (CIMB)
NIH Biophysics Training Program
NIH Signaling and Cell Cycle Regulation Training Program
NIH Creative Molecular Biology Training Program
The Palmer lab is involved in active collaborations with the following labs:
Stephanie Bryant, CU Chemical and Biological Engineering - Calcium signaling in 3D Tissue Models
Ralph Jimenez, JILA, NIST, CU Chemistry - Optically integrated microfluidics
Kevin Jones, CU Molecular Cellular Developmental Biology - Calcium and neurodegeneration
Alexis Templeton, CU Geological Sciences - Imaging microbial biofilms
Adrie Von Bockhoven, UC Denver - Zinc in Prostate Cancer