DANIEL SUTER

Professor
765-496-1562
LILY 2-239
dsuter@purdue.edu

Associated website(s):

PROFESSIONAL FACULTY RESEARCH

Cell biology, neurobiology, nervous system development, advanced light microscopy, neuronal growth cone motility and guidance, cell adhesion and migration, cytoskeletal dynamics, ROS signaling, biomechanics, axonal regeneration, spinal cord injury

BIO

The Suter lab investigates the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of axonal growth, guidance, and regeneration. We use two model systems, Aplysia and zebrafish, and a combination of quantitative live cell imaging, cell biological, biophysical, molecular and biochemical techniques to investigate the dynamics and mechanics of growth cone motility and axonal growth. We currently have four projects: 1. Role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in neuronal development and regeneration. 2. Mechanosensing and mechanotransduction of neuronal growth cones. 3. Drug screen to identify novel compounds that enhance axonal regeneration following spinal cord injury (SCI) in zebrafish larvae. 4. Bulk cytoskeletal flow in axons in vivo. We hope that our research will not only improve our understanding of the basic cell biology of growth cone motility and axonal growth, but also assist the development of new treatments that enhance axonal regeneration in nervous system diseases and injuries.

Education

BS, Biology, ETH Zurich, 1988
Ph.D., Biochemistry, University of Zurich, 1995
Postdoctoral Fellow, Cellular Neurobiology, Yale University, 1995-2000

RECENT AWARDS

2021 Graduate Student Mentoring Award, College of Science
2020 Seed for Success Award, Purdue University
2017 Graduate Student Mentoring Award, Department of Biological Sciences
2016 J. Alfred and Martha Chiscon Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching
2016 Purdue Research Foundation International Travel Award
2013 Purdue University Seed for Success Award
2012 Purdue Research Foundation International Travel Award
2011 Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award, LSAMP Indiana

CURRENT GRANTS

NIH R01 “NADPH oxidase regulates growth cone guidance”
Indiana CTSI Pilot Funding for Use of Core Facilities “Light sheet fluorescence microscopy for imaging nervous system development in zebrafish”
Ross-Lynn Research Scholar Grant, Purdue University

OTHER ACTIVITIES

Professional Organizations

The Biophysical Society 2014-present
The Society for Neuroscience, 2007-present
The American Society for Cell Biology, 1994-present

Faculty Presentations, 2020-

“A zebrafish drug screening platform to identify novel compounds for the treatment of spinal cord injuries”, Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University, May 14, 2025

“Dynamics and mechanics of axonal growth and regeneration”, Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, November 2, 2022

“Dynamics and mechanics of axonal growth and regeneration”, Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, September 7, 2022

“Mechanosensation and mechanotransduction in neuronal growth cones”. Invited talk at the virtual Cytoskeleton of Neurons and Glia Seminar Series, May 19, 2022

“Development and regeneration of the nervous system”, Purdue Neuroscience Society, Purdue University, October 7, 2021

“Src-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation of cortactin is critical for growth cone filopodia formation”, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, February 17, 2021

“ The role of Nox-derived reactive oxygen species in axonal growth and guidance ”, Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, September 21, 2020

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS, 2020-

IUBMB EMBO Workshop Emerging Concepts of the Neuronal Cytoskeleton, Santa Cruz, Chile, March 26-30, 2023
Cell Bio Virtual 2020, 60th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology, December 2-16, 2020
Labroots Online Conference Cell Biology, September 23, 2020

Editorial Boards

Scientific Reports, Neuroscience, 2013-present

Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, Associate Guest Editor for Research Topic “Neuronal Mechanics and Transport”, 2014-2018, Part 1 and 2