Megan C. King, PhD
Professor of Cell Biology and of Molecular, Cellular and Development BiologyDownloadHi-Res Photo
Cards
Appointments
Cell Biology
Primary
Therapeutic Radiology
Secondary
Additional Titles
Co-Leader, DNA Damage and Genome Integrity, Yale Cancer Center
Associate Cancer Center Director, Basic Science
Contact Info
Appointments
Cell Biology
Primary
Therapeutic Radiology
Secondary
Additional Titles
Co-Leader, DNA Damage and Genome Integrity, Yale Cancer Center
Associate Cancer Center Director, Basic Science
Contact Info
Appointments
Cell Biology
Primary
Therapeutic Radiology
Secondary
Additional Titles
Co-Leader, DNA Damage and Genome Integrity, Yale Cancer Center
Associate Cancer Center Director, Basic Science
Contact Info
About
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Titles
Professor of Cell Biology and of Molecular, Cellular and Development Biology
Co-Leader, DNA Damage and Genome Integrity, Yale Cancer Center; Associate Cancer Center Director, Basic Science
Biography
Megan received her B.A. in Biochemistry from Brandeis University working with Dr. Susan Lowey and her Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics from the University of Pennsylvania working with Dr. Mark Lemmon. During her postdoctoral training with Dr. Günter Blobel at Rockefeller University, she discovered new mechanisms for the targeting and function of integral inner nuclear membrane proteins. Since founding her own group in 2009, Megan has continued to investigate the broad array of biological functions that are integrated at the nuclear envelope, from impacts on DNA repair to nuclear and cellular mechanics. Megan was named a Searle Scholar in 2011, is a recipient of the NIH New Innovator Award and is currently an Allen Distinguished Investigator.
Last Updated on April 07, 2025.
Appointments
Cell Biology
ProfessorPrimaryTherapeutic Radiology
Associate Professor on TermSecondary
Other Departments & Organizations
- Cell Biology
- Cell Biology Research
- Cytoskeletal Dynamics
- DNA Damage and Genome Integrity
- LusKing Lab
- Molecular Cell Biology, Genetics and Development
- Molecular Medicine, Pharmacology, and Physiology
- Program in Translational Biomedicine (PTB)
- Radiobiology
- Therapeutic Radiology
- Yale Cancer Center
- Yale Combined Program in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS)
- Yale Ventures
Education & Training
- Postdoctoral Fellow
- Rockefeller University (2009)
- PhD
- University of Pennsylvania Medical School (2004)
- BA
- Brandeis University (1997)
Research
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Overview
One major focus is on macromolecular complexes embedded in the nuclear envelope physically couple the cytoskeleton to the nucleus (LINC complexes). We seek to define the fundamental mechanisms underlying the nuclear force response and the contexts in which direct force transduction to the nuclear lamina impacts cell function using fission yeast, cell culture and mouse models.
We also have a major effort in defining how the genome is organized, taking advantage of insights from chromatin dynamics. Using live cell assays that we have developed, we also investigate how nuclear cell biology impinges on genome integrity.
Medical Research Interests
Cell Biology; Cell Nucleus; Chromatin; DNA Repair; Genome; Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome; Mechanotransduction, Cellular; Nuclear Envelope
ORCID
0000-0002-1688-2226- View Lab Website
LusKing Lab
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Frequent collaborators of Megan C. King's published research.
Publications Timeline
A big-picture view of Megan C. King's research output by year.
Research Interests
Research topics Megan C. King is interested in exploring.
Ivan Surovtsev
C. Patrick Lusk, PhD
Valerie Horsley, PhD
Amanda Zubek, MD, PhD, FAAD
Corey O'Hern, PhD
Emma Carley
29Publications
1,085Citations
Nuclear Envelope
Cell Nucleus
Chromatin
DNA Repair
Genome
Mechanotransduction, Cellular
Publications
2025
Nuclear mechanics as a determinant of nuclear pore complex plasticity
Lusk C, Morgan K, King M. Nuclear mechanics as a determinant of nuclear pore complex plasticity. Nature Cell Biology 2025, 27: 1622-1631. PMID: 40973737, DOI: 10.1038/s41556-025-01768-w.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsNuclear pore complexNuclear surfaceSurface of mammalian cellsCell fate decisionsFate decisionsMammalian cellsPore complexNuclear poresTissue-specificNuclear mechanicsComposite plasticsIndividual cellsCell typesMembrane tensionNucleoporinsCellsTransport channelsMolecular compositionTransport conduitsSense, plug, and seal: proteins as both rapid responders and constitutive barriers supporting organelle compartmentalization.
King M, Lusk C, Ader N. Sense, plug, and seal: proteins as both rapid responders and constitutive barriers supporting organelle compartmentalization. Molecular Biology Of The Cell 2025, 36: pe6. PMID: 40601416, PMCID: PMC12367315, DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e23-08-0307.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsOrganelle compartmentalizationNuclear envelopePostmitotic nuclear envelopeInterphase nuclear envelopeProteinaceous barrierObservation of proteinsPlasma membraneRepair proteinsCell biologyOrganelle damageProteinOrganellesCompartmentalizationBiophysical natureBiological membranesConstitutive barriersMembraneLateral diffusionContribution of proteinMembrane rupturePhospholipid bilayer membranesVisualizing nuclear pore complex plasticity with pan-expansion microscopy
Morgan K, Carley E, Coyne A, Rothstein J, Lusk C, King M. Visualizing nuclear pore complex plasticity with pan-expansion microscopy. Journal Of Cell Biology 2025, 224: e202409120. PMID: 40504117, PMCID: PMC12162248, DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202409120.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsCoarse-grained chromatin dynamics by tracking multiple similarly labeled gene loci
Mader A, Rodriguez A, Yuan T, Surovtsev I, King M, Mochrie S. Coarse-grained chromatin dynamics by tracking multiple similarly labeled gene loci. Biophysical Journal 2025, 124: 2120-2132. PMID: 40369871, PMCID: PMC12256843, DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2025.05.008.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsChromatin polymerChromatin configurationLocus identityGenomic positionsLabeled lociLiving cellsLocus configurationsChromatin dynamicsMultiple lociGene locusChromatin researchChromatinLociSingle-particle trackingFluorescent labelingCorrect assignmentDynamic loopTemporal dynamicsCellsGenesModel polymersLabelingIdentityA quantitative ultrastructural timeline of nuclear autophagy reveals a role for dynamin-like protein 1 at the nuclear envelope
Mannino P, Perun A, Surovtsev I, Ader N, Shao L, Rodriguez E, Melia T, King M, Lusk C. A quantitative ultrastructural timeline of nuclear autophagy reveals a role for dynamin-like protein 1 at the nuclear envelope. Nature Cell Biology 2025, 27: 464-476. PMID: 39920277, PMCID: PMC11908896, DOI: 10.1038/s41556-025-01612-1.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsInner nuclear membraneDynamin-like protein 1Membrane fissionNuclear envelopeMembrane fission stepNon-canonical rolesDouble-membrane vesiclesProtein 1Nuclear envelope remodelingLattice light-sheet microscopyFission stepDnm1Nuclear autophagyIntact nucleiPerinuclear spaceNuclear membraneAutophagic mechanismsNucleophagyCorrelative lightLight-sheet microscopyFissionElectron tomographyVesiclesVacuolesAtg11
2024
Cohesin distribution alone predicts chromatin organization in yeast via conserved-current loop extrusion
Yuan T, Yan H, Li K, Surovtsev I, King M, Mochrie S. Cohesin distribution alone predicts chromatin organization in yeast via conserved-current loop extrusion. Genome Biology 2024, 25: 293. PMID: 39543681, PMCID: PMC11566905, DOI: 10.1186/s13059-024-03432-2.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsTopologically associating domainsLoop extrusionTopologically associating domains boundariesNon-vertebrate eukaryotesChIP-seq dataChromatin spatial organizationTree of lifeHi-C mapsBinds CTCFCohesin distributionTAD boundariesCTCF sitesChromatin organizationDNA sequencesCTCFCohesinYeastChromatinSpatial organizationEukaryotesGenomeResultsToVertebratesExtrusion factorsOrganizationA-tisket, a-tasket, what a beautiful nuclear basket
Lusk C, King M. A-tisket, a-tasket, what a beautiful nuclear basket. Cell 2024, 187: 5225-5227. PMID: 39303690, DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.08.030.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricIdentifying topologically associating domains using differential kernels
Maisuradze L, King M, Surovtsev I, Mochrie S, Shattuck M, O’Hern C. Identifying topologically associating domains using differential kernels. PLOS Computational Biology 2024, 20: e1012221. PMID: 39008525, PMCID: PMC11249266, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1012221.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsTopologically associating domainsHi-C mapsFalse discovery rateChromatin conformation capture techniquesEnhancer-promoter interactionsLow false discovery rateSelf-interacting regionsStructure of chromatinRegulate gene expressionAverage contact probabilitiesHi-CLocus IDNA transcriptionGene expressionChromatinDiscovery rateContact probabilityBiological phenomenaState-of-the-artKernel-based techniqueComputer visionReplicationCorrelated changesDisease statesCapture techniquesThe condensation of HP1α/Swi6 imparts nuclear stiffness
Williams J, Surovtsev I, Schreiner S, Chen Z, Raiymbek G, Nguyen H, Hu Y, Biteen J, Mochrie S, Ragunathan K, King M. The condensation of HP1α/Swi6 imparts nuclear stiffness. Cell Reports 2024, 43: 114373. PMID: 38900638, PMCID: PMC11348953, DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114373.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsSingle-molecule imagingBiomolecular condensatesSeparation-of-function alleleHeterochromatin protein HP1aChromatin-bound moleculesHigh-resolution live-cell imagingLive-cell imagingCondensationHeterochromatin domainsMethylated nucleosomesSwi6Nuclear stiffnessForce spectroscopyChromatin meshworkCellular organizationCell mechanicsDynamic poolEffect of loops on the mean-square displacement of Rouse-model chromatin
Yuan T, Yan H, Bailey M, Williams J, Surovtsev I, King M, Mochrie S. Effect of loops on the mean-square displacement of Rouse-model chromatin. Physical Review E 2024, 109: 044502. PMID: 38755928, DOI: 10.1103/physreve.109.044502.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsStretching exponentConsistent with recent experimentsTopologically associating domainsMean square displacementRecent experimentsLoop extrusionExponent valuesTAD formationTree of lifeDynamics of chromatinExponentEffects of loopChromatin lociChromatin dynamicsRouse modelChromatin organizationChromatin mobilityGene locusContact mapsDynamicsChromatinLoopPolymer dynamicsLociPolymer simulations
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
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Honors
honor Allen Distinguished Investigator
10/15/2020National AwardFrontiers Group / Allen InstituteDetailsUnited Stateshonor New Innovator Award
09/20/2011National AwardNational Institutes of HealthDetailsUnited Stateshonor Searle Scholar
04/08/2011National AwardSearle Scholars ProgramDetailsUnited States
News
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News
- October 07, 2025
Multi-Day Cancer Symposium Lays Groundwork for Research Collaboration
- August 07, 2025Source: ASCB
Fourteen Visionary Scientists Named 2025 ASCB Fellows
- April 04, 2023Source: Yale Daily News
Researchers explore the role of cellular plasticity in cancer
- November 04, 2022
Albertus Magnus Cancer Research Student Science Day
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Boyer Center for Molecular Medicine
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295 Congress Avenue, Ste 245
New Haven, CT 06510
Boyer Center for Molecular Medicine
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295 Congress Avenue, Ste Room 254D
New Haven, CT 06510