Sundar Venkatachalam

Keywords:

Cancer, mouse models, cell cycle, chromatin remodeling, genomic instability

Research Area:

The primary focus of my research involves the developoment of mutant mouse models to understand the roles of specific genetic pathways involved in cancer formation.

Description of Research:

The historical utility of mouse models to study complex human disorders and the recent sequencing of the mouse genome are expected to have a major impact on research aimed at understanding the genetic basis of a variety of human disorders. Cancer is primarily a cell cycle disease that leads to unlimited cell division cycles. We are interested in understanding the genetic pathways that lead to unregulated cell proliferation and cancer. All or our research projects have a systems biology based approach in which we perform functional analysis of specific genes at the molecular, cellular, and organismal levels. To date, we have generated several mutant mouse models for cell cycle checkpoint and chromatin remodeling proteins. Graduate research projects for doctoral students who are interested in stydying the molecular and cellular basis of cancer formation are available.

Contact Information

Sundar Venkatachalam
Structural and Nanoscale Biophysics
Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Cellular & Molecular Biology

UT
F235 Walters Life Sciences
1414 W. Cumberland Ave.
Knoxville, TN 37996
865-974-3612

Email: sundar@utk.edu

Degrees