Richard McKenney

As a faculty member at UC Davis, Dr. McKenney studies how cells internally organize using molecular motor proteins. In particular, he focuses on the microtubule cytoskeleton and the motor proteins that use this filament system for transport (kinesins and dyneins). He is interested in allosteric regulation of motor protein movement, how motor activity is balanced and coordinated, and how dysfunction in motor activity leads to human diseases such as cancer and neurodegeneration. His lab combines advanced molecular biology, biochemistry, and single-molecule TIRF microscopy to address these problems.