V. Radha

Radha's research focuses on characterizing regulatory molecules of signaling pathways leading to cytoskeletal remodeling, cell differentiation and survival. Her work has identified the guanine nucleotide exchange factor RapGEF1 as a novel effecter of actin reorganization and an important regulator of differentiation and cell survival. These studies have provided leads to understanding embryonic development, and reversing the malignant phenotype of some human cancers. Ongoing work explores the molecular mechanisms involved in regulation of proliferation vs. differentiation in cells during development and maintenance of homeostasis in adult tissues. Signaling events that normally cause apoptosis are important during morphogenesis and for tumour suppression. Using disease associated mutant molecules, novel regulators and pathways of cell death signaling are being investigated. Her studies have impacted our understanding of normal cell functions at a molecular level and how deregulation can cause pathology.