Dr. Kristi E. Miller

Teaching

Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics (BIO 200)

Special Topics: Cell Biology and Drug Discovery

Research (BIO 395/396/495/496)

Research

Our lab studies how cells know when they are big enough to divide. This process, called cell size control, is essential for normal cell function but is not fully understood. Cells typically maintain a consistent size—for example, red blood cells are small enough to move through tiny blood vessels, while neurons can grow very long to transmit signals. In healthy tissues, cells of the same type are similar in size. In many cancers this control is lost, and cells become abnormally large or small due to disrupted coordination between growth and division. We use fission yeast (Schizosaccharomyces pombe) as a model system because their simple shape and rapid growth make cell size easy to measure, and they share many of the same genes and proteins as human cells that regulate growth and division. Our research aims to identify molecular pathways that link cell growth to division and how these pathways change under environmental stress. Students use live cell microscopy, genetics, biochemistry, and quantitative image analysis to investigate these questions. Understanding how cells control their size will advance cell biology and reveal how these processes break down in cancer, potentially identifying new targets for diagnosis or treatment.

Interested in joining the Miller Lab?

Students interested in joining the lab can email me.