Andrea Putnam
Credentials: Biomolecular Chemistry
Position title: RNA condensates in development
Email: aaputnam@wisc.edu
Address:
R.M. Bock Labs 227D
1525 Linden Dr.
Madison, WI 53706
LAB WEBSITE:
Putnam Lab
FOCUS GROUPS:
Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; RNA Biology
RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:
Cells are densely packed and crowded environments where specific interactions have to occur in a coordinated and highly regulated manner. Our research seeks to understand the organization of RNAs and proteins into membraneless structures known as biomolecular condensates. We focus on germ granules, RNA condensates found in the germlines of animals that are implicated in posttranscriptional regulation and germline development. Our techniques span from in vitro reconstitution to living cells using the animal model, C. elegans. We use biochemistry, biophysics, genetics, cell biology, and super-resolution and live-cell imaging to understand the function, structure, and regulation of RNA granules in development.