UC Davis Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics

Dynamic signaling responses to changing directional cues: Cdc42 signaling activity is monitored as the direction of a chemoattractant gradient is switched.

Optogenetics and cell migration: a leukocyte expressing a light-switchable receptor that directs migration. The orange circle indicates a light stimulus used to lead the cell.

Analysis of signaling activities in space and time: a psuedocolored image of the activity of Cdc42 in a moving leukocyte is shown. The cell periphery was parametrized into small windows to compare local Cdc42 activity with cell edge protrusion dynamics.

Automated analysis of chemotaxis: we use automated uncaging of chemoattractants and live-cell imaging to measure dynamic chemotactic responses under standardized conditions. Shown are the tracks of differentiated PLB-985 leukocytes responding to a radial attractant gradient.

Optogenetic tools: Using the Stargazin transmembrane protein as the plasma membrane anchor for optogenetic protein recruitment improves spatial precision and recruitment strength.

  Latest News:

Cua, Laureline, and Clara present at the eMCDB T32 Retreat

Cua and Laureline, as eMCDB T32 trainees, gave 10-minute talks introducing their research at the annual Fallen Leaf retreat on October 24-26 2025. Our PREP scholar and junior specialist Clara also gave a poster presentation on her work. The Collins Lab was well represented! 

New publication:

Akdoğan E, Lundgren SM, Kamber RA, Bassik MC, Collins SR. 2025. Parallel CRISPR screens reveal pathways controlling the cell surface levels of the attractant receptor FPR1. BioRxiv. Full Text

Welcome Cuauhtemoc and Laureline!

We are pleased to welcome two new graduate students from the Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular, & Developmental Biology Graduate Group: Cuauhtemoc Gonzalez and Laureline Lequint!