Our lab uses molecular biology, advanced fluorescence microscopy, and high throughput drug screening to understand basic mechanisms of chromosome segregation and cell cycle progression during mitosis and cytokinesis. One specific focus is the mitotic spindle checkpoint (or metaphase checkpoint) whose normal function is to ensure that the chromosomes are apportioned equally during cell division. Defects in this spindle checkpoint are important causes of cancer malignancy and birth defects. Moreover, many of the drugs used against cancer depend on this checkpoint pathway for their effectiveness. Our work is currently supported by funds from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, the National Science Foundation, the Oklahoma Center for Adult Stem Cell Research (OCASCR), the McCasland Foundation, and the OMRF.
The Gorbsky lab is part of the Cell Cycle and Cancer Biology Research Program at OMRF.