Tim Stearns

Biography

Tim Stearns is Professor of the Department of Genetics. The central question behind their work is how the centrosome and primary cilium control cell function and influence development.

Research Interest

Ciliary biogenesis and function. In addition to the microtubules making up the interphase array and the mitotic spindle, many animal cells make a specialized microtubule structure, the primary cilium. This is a single, non-motile cilium that is able to act as a transducer of mechanical and chemical signals - sort of a cellular antenna. The microtubules of the ciliary axoneme grow directly from a centriole at their base, this centriole is often called a basal body. Some epithelial cells in the trachea, oviduct and brain produce hundreds of motile cilia on their surface, each with a centriole at their base. We are studying both the primary cilium and multi-ciliated cells for clues into ciliary structure and function, and centriole formation.