Maura McGrail

Adjunct Assistant Professor

Dr. McGrail, Adjunct Assistant Professor, received her B.Sc. in Biochemistry from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She received her Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of Minnesota. After post-doctoral work at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute of the University of California-San Diego and Myriad Genetics in Salt Lake City, Dr. McGrail held a research associate position at the Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah. She joined Iowa State University as an Adjunct Assistant Professor in 2005.

Research Description

My research interests are centered on investigating the molecular basis of animal development and the mechanisms underlying cancer in humans. My lab uses the zebrafish, Danio rerio, a model system for studying the molecular genetics of vertebrate development and human disease. The current focus of my work is to create a cancer model in zebrafish using DNA transposons as mutagens. We are also exploiting the rapid development of the zebrafish embryo to examine the cellular biology of cancer genes in order to understand their contribution to carcinogenesis. Our studies combine molecular genetics, transgenics, and transposon-based mutagenesis to investigate cancer and cancer gene biology within the framework of the developing vertebrate embryo.

Contact Information:

638 Science Hall II

Ames, IA 50011-3223

515-294-4445 voice

515-294-8457 fax

Education:

B.Sc. - Biochemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 1988

Ph.D. - Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology and Genetics, University of Minnesota, 1996

• Clark, KA, McGrail, M and Beckerle, MC. 2003. Analysis of PINCH function in Drosophila demonstrates its requirement in integrin-dependent cellular processes.. Development 130(12):2611-21.
• Bowman, AB, Kamal, A, Ritchings, BW, Philp, A, McGrail, M, Gindhart, JG, Goldstein, LS.. 2000. Kinesin-dependent axonal transport is mediated by the sunday driver (SYD) protein.. Cell 103(4):583-94.
• Robinson, JT, Wojcik, EJ, Sanders, MA, McGrail, M, Hays, TS. 1999. Cytoplasmic dynein is required for the nuclear attachment and migration of centrosomes during mitosis in Drosophila. Journal of Cell Biology 146(3):597-608.
• McGrail, M and Hays, TS.. 1997. The microtubule motor cytoplasmic dynein is required for spindle orientation during germline cell divisions and oocyte differentiation in Drosophila.. Development 124(12):2409-19.
• McGrail, M, Gepner, J, Silvanovich, A, Ludmann, S, Serr, M, Hays, TS.. 1995. Regulation of cytoplasmic dynein function in vivo by the Drosophila Glued complex.. Journal of Cell Biology 131(2):411-25.
• Li, M, McGrail, M, and Hays, TS.. 1994. Drosophila cytoplasmic dynein, a microtubule motor that is asymmetrically localized in the oocyte.. Journal of Cell Biology 126(6):1475-94.