Honors

Member, American Society of Cell Biology, 1997 - Present
Member, Genetics Society of America, 2000 – Present
Sidney Kimmel Scholar, 2000 – 2002
Beckman Young Investigator, 2003 - Present
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Scholar, 2005 – Present

Research

The Biggins Group is focused on elucidating the mechanisms that govern chromosome segregation. Because aneuploidy is a hallmark of all cancers and many birth defects, studies on chromosome segregation are critical to understanding how cells maintain genomic stability and prevent disease. Chromosomes segregate using their kinetochores, the specialized protein structures that are assembled on centromeric DNA sequences and attach to spindle microtubules. Sister kinetochores contain multiple microtubule binding sites that must all make bioriented attachments to microtubules from opposite poles. Once proper bioriented attachments are made, the microtubule pulling forces generate physical tension on the sister chromatids. Defects in assembling bioriented kinetochore attachments are detected by the spindle checkpoint that halts the cell cycle until the errors are corrected. This group studies many key questions about chromosome segregation, including how kinetochores assemble, how kinetochores make bioriented microtubule attachments, and how the spindle checkpoint detects and corrects defects in these processes.More information on Dr. Biggins's research can be found at the Community of Science web site.