Welcome to the Walczak Lab
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.
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
Kelly Hartsough
CMCB
Graduate Student
BS Biology
Penn State University
Jordon Winn
GCDB Graduate Student
BS Cellular and Molecular Biology & Biochemistry
Northwest Missouri State University
John Smith
CMCB Graduate Student
BS Molecular Cell Biology
Towson University
Emily Jones
CMCB Graduate Student
BS Biology
Northern Illinois University
Aryan Mishra
Undergraduate Researcher
BS Biology 2023
Destiny Cooper
Laboratory Assistant
BS Biochemistry
Molly Lusk
Undergraduate Researcher
BS Biology 2025
Anjaly Prasannajith
CMCB Graduate Student
BS/MS Indian Inst Sci Educ & Research
Former Lab Members
Graduate Students
Postdoctoral Fellows
Undergraduates
Research Associates
Recent Publications
News
December 2021
November 2021
May 2021
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
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
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
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
© 2017