H. Robert Horvitz MIT Department of Biology
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Home Faculty and Areas of Research H. Robert Horvitz, 2004
H. Robert Horvitz

H. Robert Horvitz
David H. Koch Professor of
  Biology
Member, McGovern Institute for
  Brain Research
Investigator,
  Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Ph.D. 1974, Harvard University
Room: 68-425
Phone: (617) 253-4671
Fax: (617) 253-8126
Email: horvitz@mit.edu
Lab Home Page
Horvitz page at HHMI

 

Overview
Molecular, developmental and behavioral genetics of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Use of genetics, molecular biology, cell biology, biochemistry and electrophysiology to analyze C. elegans development and behavior. Human molecular genetics, with a focus on the neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Research Summary
How does the genome control animal development and behavior? To answer this question, we isolate and characterize developmental and behavioral mutants of C. elegans. Because the complete cellular anatomy (including the complete wiring diagram of the nervous system) and the complete cell lineage of C. elegans are known, mutant animals can be studied at the level of single cells and even single synapses. Because the complete DNA sequence of the C. elegans genome is available, genes defined by mutations can be rapidly cloned and analyzed. In addition, genes defined by sequence similarity to known genes can be easily identified and mutated. We have studied many genes that play specific roles in development and behavior.

Selected Publications
Reddien, P., Cameron, S. and Horvitz, H.R. Phagocytosis promotes programmed cell death in C. elegans. Nature 412: 198-202 (2001).

Ceol, C. and Horvitz, H.R. A new class of C. elegans synMuv genes implicates a Tip60/NuA4-like HAT complex as a negative regulator of Ras signaling. Developmental Cell 6: 563-576 (2004).

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photo credit: Donna Coveney
 

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