Welcome to the Schlessinger Lab

We are interested in analyzing the mode of action of growth factor receptors and the intracellular signaling pathways that activated in response to growth factor stimulation. Receptor tyrosine kinases and cytoplasmic protein tyrosine kinases play a critical role in the control of many cellular processes including: cell proliferation, differentiation, m etabolism, as well as cell survival and cell migration. Various diseases are caused by dysfunctions in protein tyrosine kinases or in components of signaling pathways that are activated by these enzymes. We have used biochemical and genetic approaches as well as x-ray crystallography to determine the mechanism of activation of receptor tyrosine kinases and the mode of action of downstream signaling proteins.