Development and Disease


Picture of SUTER

DANIEL SUTER

Associate Professor
LILY 2-239
Phone: 765-496-1562

Understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms of cell migration is a major goal in modern biology. Cell movements play a critical role during development, adult life and in various diseases. Important examples include the growing tip of a nerve cell process, the neuronal growth cone, and the invasive behavior of cancer cells. Our laboratory is currently focusing on the mechanisms of neuronal growth cone motility and guidance. Using the large growth cones of cultured Aplysia neurons as a model system, we investigate how the growth cone integrates its sensor, signaling and motility functions to achieve directional movements towards target cells and establish functional connections. Specifically, we would like to understand how extracellular signals, such as from cell adhesion molecules, are transduced inside the cell to affect the underlying cytoskeleton. These changes ultimately determine speed and direction of growth cone movement. Our current studies aim at the understanding of the functions of Src tyrosine kinases as well as of the cytoskeletal dynamics in adhesion-mediated growth cone steering. More recently we are also investigating the role of reactive oxygen species in growth cone motility and guidance. We use a combination of advanced live cell imaging, cell biological, biophysical, molecular and biochemical techniques to investigate the dynamics and function of adhesion, signaling, and cytoskeletal proteins, and to analyze forces involved in cell migration. We hope that our research will not only improve our understanding of the basic cell biology of neuronal growth cones, but also assist in the development of treatments that support axonal regeneration in nervous system diseases and injuries.

Education

Postdoctoral Research in Cellular Neurobiology, Yale University, 1995-2000
Ph.D. in Biochemistry, University of Zurich, 1995

Awards

2005 Purdue University Seed for Success Award
2003 Purdue Research Foundation International Travel Award

Grants

NIH R01 NS049233 “Regulation of Neuronal Growth Cone Guidance”

Other Activities

Professional Organizations:

  • The American Society for Cell Biology, 1994-present
  • The Society for Neuroscience, 2007-present
  • The Swiss Society for Biochemistry, 1992-present

Faculty Presentations, 2008-2011:

  • “The interplay between Src signaling and forces in adhesion-mediated neuronal growth cone migration”, Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical research, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland, May 6, 2011.
  • "A Novel Role for ROS in Neuronal Growth Cone Motility and Guidance”, NSF-funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates program, Physics Department, Purdue University, June 30, 2010.
  • “Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Neuronal Growth Cone Guidance”, Purdue Chapter of Biomedical Engineering Society, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, December 2, 2009.
  • "Integration of sensory, signaling and motile functions in the neuronal growth cone", Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, March 19, 2009.
  • "Integration of sensory, signaling and motile functions in the neuronal growth cone", Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, October 29, 2008.
  • "Integration of sensory, signaling and motile functions in the neuronal growth cone", Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, October 22, 2008.
  • "The Neuronal Growth Cone: A sophisticated signaling device". Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich Switzerland, August 4, 2008.
  • "Molecular and cellular mechanisms of adhesion-mediated neuronal growth cone guidance". Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, March 7, 2008.
  • "Molecular and cellular mechanisms of adhesion-mediated neuronal growth cone guidance". Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University Calumet, Hammond, IN, February 22, 2008.

Conferences, 2008-2011:

  • 50th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology, Philadelphia, PA, December 11-15, 2010.
  • Gordon Research Conference on Nox Family NADPH Oxidases, Les Diablerets, Switzerland, June 6-11, 2010.
  • 39th Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, Chicago, Illinois, October 17-21, 2009.
  • Cold Harbor Laboratory Meeting; 6th Meeting on Axon Guidance, Synaptogenesis and Neural Plasticity, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, September 10-14, 2008.

Manuscript Reviewer for the following Journals:

  • Developmental Neurobiology
  • EMBO journal
  • FEBS letters
  • Journal of Biological Chemistry
  • Journal of Cell Biology
  • Journal of Cell Science
  • Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology
  • Journal of Neuroscience
  • Journal of Neurobiology
  • Journal of Visualized Experiments
  • Molecular Biology of the Cell
  • Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience
  • Neuron
  • PLoS ONE
  • PNAS

Ad hoc Grant Reviewer for the following Agencies

  • National Institutes of Health (NIH), SYN and NDPR study sections.
  • National Science Foundation (NSF).
  • Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI).
  • British Council.