University Directory

Kenneth A. Myers, PhD

Associate Professor

Co-Director, BioImaging Core Facility

Kenneth Myers PhD

Department

Office

McNeil Science & Technology Center, Room 348

Phone

215-596-7531
Contact

Dr. Myers' research is focused on proteins that regulate the dynamic behaviors of the microtubule cytoskeleton and thereby modulate endothelial cell branching and directional motility during vascular development, maintenance, and angiogenesis.

    • B.S. in Biology, Philadelphia University – 2002
    • PhD inMolecular, Cellular Biology & Genetics, Drexel University College of Medicine – 2007
    • Postdoctoral Fellow and Intramural Research Training Associate, NHLBI, NIH – 2012
    • Braun A., Dang K., Buslig F., Baird M.A., Davidson M.W., Waterman C.M., Myers K.A. "Rac1 and Aurora A Regulate MCAK to Polarize Microtubule Growth in Migrating Endothelial Cells." Journal of Cell Biology. 206:97-112. 2014.
    • Joshi M.R, Yao N., Myers K.A., Li Z. "Human Serum Albumin and P53-activating Peptide Fusion Protein Is Able to Promote Apoptosis and Deliver Fatty Acid-modified Molecules." PLoS One. 8(11):e80926. 2013.
    • Caesar NM, Myers KA, Fan X. "Neisseria Meningitidis Serogroup B Vaccine Development." Microbial Pathogenesis. 57:33-40, 2013
    • Fischer RS, Myers KA, Gardel ML, Waterman CM. "Stiffness-controlled Three-dimensional Extracellular Matrices for High-resolution Imaging of Cell Behavior." Nat Protoc. 2012. Nov;7(11):2056-66. PMID:23099487.
    • Myers K.A., Applegate K., Danuser G., Fischer R.S., and Waterman C.M. "Distinct ECM Mechanosensing Pathways Regulate Microtubule Dynamics to Control Endothelial Cell Branching Morphogenesis." Journal of Cell Biology. 192(2):321-34, 2011.
    • Shin,W.D., Fischer R.S., Kanchawong P., Kim Y., Lim J., Myers, K.A., Nishimura Y., Plotnikov S.V., Thievessen I., Yarar D., Sabass B., Waterman C.M. "A Versatile, Multicolor Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence and Spinning-disk Confocal Microscope System for High-resolution Live Cell Imaging." Live Cell Imaging: A Laboratory Manual, 2nd ed. (ed. Goldman RD, Swedlow JR, Spector DL), pp. 119-138. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, NY. 2010.
    • Nadar V.C., Ketschek A., Myers, K.A., Gallo G., Baas P.W. "Kinesin-5 Is Essential for Growth Cone Turning." Current Biology. 18(24):1972-7, 2008.
    • Myers, K.A. and Baas P.W. "Microtubule-Actin Interactions During Neuronal Development. In: The Neurobiology of Actin: From Neurulation to Synaptic Function." Springer Publishing Co.: New York, N.Y., 2008.
    • Baas, P.W., Myers, K.A., Qiang L., and Nadar V.C. Function Larry R. Squire, Editor-in-Chief, "Encyclopedia of Neuroscience," American Press, Oxford. 2008.
    • Myers, K.A. and Baas P.W. "Kinesin-5 Regulates the Growth of the Axon by Acting As a Brake on Its Microtubule Array." The Journal of Cell Biology. 178(6): 1081-1091, 2007.
    • Myers, K.A., Tint I., Nadar C.V., He Y., Black M.M., Baas P.W. "Antagonistic Forces Generated by Cytoplasmic Dynein and Myosin II During Growth Cone Turning and Axonal Retraction." Traffic. 7(10):1333-51, 2006.
    • Ahmad F.J., He Y., Myers, K.A., Hasaka TP, Francis F, Black MM, Baas PW. "Effects of Dynactin Disruption and Dynein Depletion on Axonal Microtubules." Traffic. 7(5):524-37, 2006.
    • Baas P.W., Nadar V.C., Myers, K.A. "Axonal Transport of Microtubules: the Long and Short of It." Traffic. 7(5):490-8, 2006.
    • Myers, K.A., He Y., Hasaka T.P., Baas P.W. "Microtubule Transport in the Axon: Re-thinking a Potential Role for the Actin Cytoskeleton." Neuroscientist. 12(2):107-18, 2006.
    • He Y., Francis F., Myers, K.A., Yu W., Black M.M., Baas P.W. "Role of Cytoplasmic Dynein in the Axonal Transport of Microtubules and Neurofilaments." Journal of Cell Biology. 168(5):697-703, 2005.
    • Myers, K.A., Hasaka T.P., Baas P.W. "Role of Actin Filaments in the Axonal Transport of Microtubules." Journal of Neuroscience. 24(50):11291-301, 2004.
    • Baird D.H., Myers, K.A., Mogensen M., Moss D., Baas P.W. "Distribution of the Microtubule-related Protein Ninein in Developing Neurons." Neuropharmacology. 47(5):677-83, 2004.

  • Myers' research interests focus on the mechanisms by which endothelial cells alter their microtubule dynamics to elaborate cell branches and thereby establish directed motility, as well as the response of microtubule dynamics to physical interactions with the extracellular matrix. His work combines high-resolution light microscopy and automated tracking of microtubule dynamics in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. To aid in understanding how the physical environment influences cell morphology I culture cells onto 3-dimensional collagen matrices, or onto micro-fabricated substrates of various shapes, and utilize these approaches to test hypotheses relevant to vascular development and diseases associated with endothelial cell angiogenesis.

    He mentors undergraduate and graduate students interested in doing laboratory research.