Our mission it to make fundamental discoveries that will enable improvements in health care and quality of life, and to educate and direct students and fellows in the process of scientific discovery.
The Center for Cell Signaling strives to be a preeminent organization for innovative biomedical research within an academic medical center.
Our research goals are to discover and elucidate mechanisms by which cells respond to their environment to control processes such as gene expression, growth, proliferation polarity and motility. A major focus is the transport of macromolecules between the cytoplasm and nucleus.
The Center is a highly cooperative environment for education of postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and undergraduates conducting research under direction of our faculty. We cooperate with and support efforts of researchers in other basic science and clinical departments. We also have been a partner with Piedmont Virginia Community College in creating a program for the training of research specialists.
In pursuing our research goals, the Center faculty and staff are expected to:
- disseminate new information by publication of results in journals and by presentations at local, national and international conferences,
- educate students in formal courses and through tutorial-style direction of research activities
- promote translation of knowledge into practice through in-house training, consultations, and educational outreach activities
- attract extramural public and private financial support,
- develop intellectual property through patents and licenses, and form partnerships with companies to produce products based on our research,
- advocate the importance of fundamental research in health care and science education to the public, and their elected representatives.
