Research
Our lab is interested in the fundamental mechanisms that cells use to accurately distribute their genetic material to the two daughter cells. Defects in this process lead to aneuploidy and genomic instability, which are hallmarks of cancer. We use a combination of approaches, including high-resolution imaging, biochemistry, genomics and cell/molecular biology to ask fundamental questions about how cells maintain mitotic fidelity and how cell maintain proper ploidy using both normal and tumor cell models.
Cells use multiple mechanisms to prevent aneuploidy. One emerging idea is that cancer cells thrive with low levels of aneuploidy, which allows for phenotype evolution. However, higher levels of aneuploidy lead to failure in cell division and cell death. We are currently exploring multiple pathways that contribute to aneuploidy and identifying the key players that can be targeted to cause high levels of aneuploidy and thus provide in-roads for new mechanisms of therapeutic development.
The dynamic microtubules are critical for spindle function and are also the targets of several anti-neoplastic agents that are front-line treatments for multiple types of cancers. However, side effects can be severe and result in discontinuation of treatment. In addition, development of resistance is common. Several of the proteins we study are highly overexpressed in multiple cancer types, which correlates with poor prognosis. Thus, we are developing screening assays that can be used to identify new drugs that target these microtubule regulators as well as trying to understand how their expression correlates with drug resistance and poor prognosis.
Lab Members
Claire Walczak
Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine-BL
BS Chemistry, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
PhD Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Post-doctoral Fellow, University of California-San Francisco
Stephanie Ems-McClung
Asst. Research Professor, Medical Sciences,
Indiana University School of Medicine-BL
BS Biology, Indiana University
PhD Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine
Post-doctoral Fellow, Indiana University
Sanjay Shrestha
Research Assistant, Medical Sciences,
Indiana University School of Medicine-BL
BS Biochemistry, Dhaka University
MS Biochemistry, Dhaka University
PhD Molecular Biology, New Mexico State University
Post-doctoral Fellow, National Institutes of Health
Kayleigh Goens
Lab Assistant
BS Biology 2025
Sami Syed
Undergraduate Research
Cox Scholar
BS Molecular Life Sciences 2029
Sam Latimer
Undergraduate Researcher
BS Biochemistry 2025
Destiny Cooper
Undergraduate Researcher
LSAMP Scholar
BS Biochemistry 2025
Molly Lusk
Undergraduate Researcher
BS Biology 2025
Anjaly Prasannajith
CMCB Graduate Student
BS/MS Indian Inst Sci Educ & Research
News
December 2021
Congratulations to Dr. Stephanie Ems-McClung on being recommended for promotion to Associate Research Professor by IUSM
Congratulations to Dr. Charity Taboas for completing her PhD in Bioanthropology. We will miss you.
Welcome Anjaly Prasannajith to the lab as our newest CMCB student
Welcome Dhanusha Duraiyan to the lab as our new lab assistant
November 2021
COVID can't stop us. The Walczak lab skates again
May 2021
Congratulations Dr. Ben Walker
March 2021
Congratulations Kenzie Emch on being elected to Phi Beta Kappa!
January 2021
Congratulations Dr. Ben Walker on defending your dissertation!
December 2020
Congratulations Ben Walker on your new job at Eli Lilly!
Welcome Emily Jones as the newest Walczak Lab member.
October 2020
Congratulations Kelly Hartsough and John Smith on passing their qualifying exams and becoming official PhD Candidates! We are so proud of you.
September 2020
Welcome rotation students Zheng Tian, Will Hamilton and Disha Kuchangi!
August 2020
Welcome rotation student Emily Jones!
Congratulations to Claire on her CTSI Proposal
Single Cell Seq to Identify Heterogeneity in Polyploid Cells
July 2020
Spatially Distanced Goodbye to Mark
June 2020
Congratulations John on winning the Paul Harmon Award
Walczak Lab Skating 2020
December 2019
Congratulations Stephanie on two great new papers!
December 2019
Female Genius Lab!
November 2019
Congratulations Kelly for her recent Current Biology review!
SEPTEMBER 2019
Congratulations Claire for the NIH Supplement
Can't Wait to Image on that New Microscope
AUGUST 2019
Congratulations Kelly on Receiving a QCB Fellowships
Congratulations Benny and Katie on welcoming Baby Ilse to your family
JULY 2019
Great Job at the IU SSRP Symposium
Aisha and Jacob
April 2019
Great Job Jared, Stephanie, Kenzie, Jason and Kendra at the HHC Research Symposium
January 2019
Congratulations Claire on being elected an AAAS Fellow
November 2018
Welcome Rotation Students Natasha and Ahmed to the lab
August 2018
Congratulations to Claire on being elected as a Fellow of the American Society for Cell Biology!
July 2018
Welcome visiting student Serena Mahnoor.
June 2018
Welcome Kendra Lambert to the Lab, Biotechnology MS Student.
April 2018
Congratulations Dr. Amber Yount
Hutton Honors College Undergraduate Research Symposium
Great Job Jeanna, Jason, Kenzie, Stephanie, and Mark
February 2018
Walczak Lab Skating Trip
January 2018
Happy Birthday Kenzie and Jason
December 2017
Congratulations to Hailing Zong on successfully defending her PhD
October 2017
Welcome Stephanie Zhang to the lab
September 2017
Congratulations to Shengyao Chen on successfully defending his PhD
August 2017
Welcome Kenzie Emch to the Lab
July 2017
Congratulations Claire and Brian on their CTSI Core Pilot Proprosal.
Congratulations to Claire on Recognition of Professionalism and integrity in research by The Research Exemplar Project.
Contact Us
Claire’s e-mail: cwalczak@
indiana.edu 
Claire’s Office Phone: 812-855-5919
Walczak Lab Phone: 812-855-6785
We are located at Myers Hall 260
We are on Twitter
Funding
