Kong Lab
Principal Investigator: Jennifer Kong
Institution: University of Washington (Seattle, WA)
Primary Subfield: Molecular & Cell Bio
Recruitment Status: Inquire for rotation/fellowship opportunities
Research Focus
PROJECT SUMMARY Precise regulation of cell-to-cell communication is essential for embryonic development, tissue regeneration, and adult tissue homeostasis. While much is known about how extracellular ligands initiate signaling and activate downstream cascades, a fundamental gap remains in our understanding of how receiving cells dynamically fine-tune their sensitivity to these cues. Accumulating evidence, including our own research, demonstrates that surface receptor abundance plays a crucial role in modulating signaling strength. However, the molecular mechanisms that regulate receptor turnover and stability remain poorly defined. This proposal focuses on membrane-tethered E3 ubiquitin ligases, a unique and understudied class of enzymes that govern receptor abundance at the cell surface. Unlike cytoplasmic E3 ligases, these membrane-associated ligases function as signaling sentinels. Positioned ideally at the interface of extracellular signals and intracellular responses, these membrane-associated ligases dynamically modulate pathway activity in response to environmental cues. While essential for proper embryonic development and tissue maintenance, their mechanisms of substrate se…
Active NIH Awards
- 1R35GM165941-01: Molecular mechanisms of signaling sensitivity (2026)
- 5R00GM132518-05: Molecular mechanisms that regulate target cell sensitivity to Hedgehog morphogens (2025)
- 3R00GM132518-05S1: Molecular mechanisms that regulate target cell sensitivity to Hedgehog morphogens (2025)
- 3R00GM132518-04S1: Molecular mechanisms that regulate target cell sensitivity to Hedgehog morphogens (2024)
- 5R00GM132518-04: Molecular mechanisms that regulate target cell sensitivity to Hedgehog morphogens (2024)
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