Dr. Enrique De La Cruz
Professor and Chair of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry; Head, Branford College; Chair, Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry
Host: Dr. Sladewski
"How cells use chemistry and physics to break and remodel the bones that power their movement."
Summary: Dr. De La Cruz will present results from biochemical and biophysical studies carried out with purified protein components that define how biochemical interactions and mechanical forces contribute to the assembly dynamics of the actin cytoskeleton.
Enrique M. De La Cruz, PhD is a Professor and the Chair of the Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry and Head of Branford College at Yale University. He is a first-generation Cuban-American who was raised in Newark, NJ. Dr. De La Cruz received his undergraduate degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Rutgers University, Newark College of Arts and Sciences, where he was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa and Beta Beta Beta Honor Societies. He earned his Ph.D. degree in Biochemistry, Cell & Molecular Biology (BCMB) at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and received postdoctoral training at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Dr. De La Cruz’s research focuses on the actin cytoskeleton, molecular motor proteins, and nucleotide signaling enzymes. Dr. De La Cruz is actively involved with various scientific societies, journals, and peer review committees, and actively participates in outreach activities focused on enhancing minority participation, career development and retention in the sciences.
To learn more about Dr. De La Cruz and his research, view his publication at
https://mcb.uconn.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2341/2022/03/Pandit_PNAS_debranching.pdfand his website at
https://delacruzlab.yale.edu/
