My research interests are focused on understanding how cytoskeletal dynamics promote fundamental cellular processes such as cytokinesis, cell migration, establishment of cell polarity and oocyte formation. I have acquired extensive experience studying actomyosin dynamics during cytokinesis in C.elegans embryos while a graduate student in the lab of Michael Glotzer. Additionally, I have used quantitative high resolution confocal microscopy to study cytoskeletal dynamics during both cell migration and establishment of cell polarity during my time as a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Brian Mitchell. My current work in the lab of Amy Maddox focuses on understanding how local and global changes in cytokinetic ring dynamics and actomyosin contractility drive constriction of the cytokinetic ring. Specifically, I have developed new microscopy based approaches and quantitative imaging tools to study cytokinetic ring dynamics and oocyte formation with increased spatial and temporal resolution. Besides my research I am deeply committed to promoting scientific literacy and greater inclusivity in science by applying inclusive teaching approaches to teaching undergraduate and graduate students and contributing to the creation and development of a departmental database containing resources to promote inclusivity in teaching.
Education
2013 Graduate teaching certificate Northwestern University Searle Center for Teaching Excellence 2007 Ph.D. in Microbiology and Genetics Institute for Molecular Pathology, University of Vienna, / University of Chicago 2003 Masters in Microbiology and Genetics University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria 2002 Undergraduate degree in Microbiology and Genetics University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
Professional Experience & Appointments
2018 - present Research Assistant Professor University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Department of Biology 2014-2018 Postdoctoral Fellow University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Department of Biology In the Laboratory of Amy Schaub Maddox, PhD using genome editing and high resolution microscopy and quantitative image analysis to study cell division 2009-2014 Postdoctoral Fellow Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Department for Cell and Molecular Biology In the laboratory of Brian Mitchell, PhD, investigating the role of the cytoskeleton during establishment of planar cell polarity and cell migration. 2008-2009 Postdoctoral Fellow Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis, Department for Medicine/Nephrology In the laboratory of Robert Bacallao, M.D., investigating the role of Inversin on actin dynamics during mitosis and implications for renal cyst formation. 2 2003-2007 Ph.D. student Institute for Molecular Pathology (IMP), University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria Department for Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago Ph.D. supervisor: Michael Glotzer, Ph.D. Thesis: Control of actomyosin dynamics by the mitotic spindle during cytokinesis in C. elegans. 2002-2003 Masters student University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria, Department for Microbiology and Genetics Thesis supervisor: Renee Schroeder, Ph.D. Thesis: Investigating the structural requirements for HIV dimerization by coupling extended duplex formation with leadzyme cleavage. 2001 Summer student University of British Columbia/Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Vancouver, Canada In the laboratory of Julian Davies, Ph.D. studying antibiotic and fungicide resistance. 1999 Summer student Gemeinschaft für Strahlenforschung GSF, Munich, Germany In the laboratory of Gerd Sutter, Ph.D. working on viral vaccine development
Bibliography and Products of Scholarship
Book Chapters 1. Werner ME, Mitchell BJ. Using Xenopus skin to study cilia development and function. Methods Enzymol 2013;525:191-217 Pubmed
Refereed Articles 1. Krauchunas AR , Werner ME, Britt N, Chen DS, Maddox AS, Singson A. C. elegans CYLC-2 localizes to sperm. MicroPubl Biol 2020 Sep 29;2020:10.17912/micropub.biology.000314. Pubmed
2. Bell KR*, Werner ME*, Doshi A, Cortes DB, Sattler A, Vuong-Brender T, Labouesse M, Maddox AS. Novel cytokinetic ring components drive negative feedback in cortical contractility, Mol Biol Cell. 2020 Jul 15;31(15):1623-1636. (*co-first author) Pubmed
3. Bustamante-Marin XM, Yin W-N, Sears PR, Werner ME, Brotslaw EJ, Mitchell BJ, Jania CM, Zeman KL, Rogers TD, Herring LE, Refabert L, Thomas L, Amselem S, Escudier E, Legendre M.8, Grubb BR, Knowles MR, Zariwala MA, and Ostrowski LE. Lack of GAS2L2 causes a new variant of PCD by impairing cilia orientation and mucociliary clearance. Am J Hum Genet 2019 Feb 7;104(2):229-245 Pubmed
4. Werner ME, Del Castillo U, Ventrella R, Brotslaw EJ, Mitchell BJ. The small molecule AMBMP disrupts microtubule growth, ciliogenesis, cell polarity and cell migration. Cytoskeleton (Hoboken). 2018 Oct;75(10):450-457. Pubmed
5. Kim SK*, Zhang S*, Werner ME*, Brotslaw EJ, Mitchell JW, Altabbaa MM, Mitchell BJ. CLAMP/Spef1 regulates planar cell polarity signaling and asymmetric microtubule accumulation in the Xenopus ciliated epithelia. J Cell Biol. 2018 May 7;217(5):1633-1641 (*co-first author) Pubmed
6. Rehain-Bell K, Love A, Werner ME, MacLeod I, Yates JR 3rd, Maddox AS. A Sterile 20 Family Kinase and Its Co-factor CCM-3 Regulate Contractile Ring Proteins on Germline Intercellular Bridges. Current Biol. 2017 Mar 20:26(7): p860–867 Pubmed
7. Jaffe KM, Grimes DT, Schottenfeld-Roames J, Werner ME, Ku TS, Kim SK, Pelliccia JL, Morante NF, Mitchell BJ, Burdine RD. c21orf59/kurly Controls Both Cilia Motility and Polarization. Cell Rep. 2016 Mar 1;14(8):1841-9. Pubmed
8. Werner ME, Mitchell JW, Putzbach W, Bacon E, Kim SK, Mitchell BJ.. Radial intercalation is regulated by the Par complex and the microtubule-stabilizing protein CLAMP/Spef1.. J Cell Biol. 2014 Aug 4;206(3):367-76 (Journal cover article) Pubmed
9. Klos Dehring DA , Vladar EK*, Werner ME *, Mitchell JW, Hwang P, Mitchell BJ Deuterosome mediated centriole biogenesis. Developmental Cell 2013 Oct 14;27(1):103-12. (*co-second author) Pubmed
10. Chien YH, Werner ME, Stubbs J, Joens MS, Li J, Chien S, Fitzpatrick JA, Mitchell BJ, Kintner C. Bbof1 is required to maintain cilia orientation. Development 2013 Aug;140(16):3468-77 Pubmed
11. Werner ME, Ward H, Phillips C, Miller C, Gattone V, Bacallao R. Inversin modulates the cortical actin network during mitosis. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2013 Jul;305(1):C36-47 Pubmed
12. Herbert BS, Grimes BR, Xu WM, Werner ME, Ward C, Rossetti S, Harris P, Bello-Reuss E, Ward HH, Miller C, Gattone VH, Phillips CL, Wandinger-Ness A, Bacallao R. A Telomerase Immortalized Human Proximal Tubule Cell Line with a Truncation Mutation (Q4004X) in Polycystin-1. PLoS ONE 2013;8(1):e55191 Pubmed
13. Tse YC*, Werner ME*, Longhini KM, Labbé JC, Goldstein B, Glotzer M. RhoA activation during polarization and cytokinesis of the early C. elegans embryo are differentially dependent on NOP-1 and CYK-4. Mol Biol Cell. 2012 Oct;23(20):4020-31 (*co-first author) Pubmed
14. Werner ME, Hwang P, Huisman F, Taborek P, Yu CC, Mitchell BJ. Actin and microtubules drive differential aspects of planar cell polarity in multiciliated cells. J Cell Biol. 2011 Oct 3;195(1):19-26. Pubmed
15. Afshar K, Werner ME, Tse YC, Glotzer M, Gönczy P. Regulation of cortical contractility and spindle positioning by the protein phosphatase 6 PPH-6 in one-cell stage C. elegans embryos. Development 2010 Jan;137(2):237-4 Pubmed
16. Werner M, Munro E, and Glotzer M. Astral Signals Spatially Bias Cortical Myosin Recruitment to Break Symmetry and Promote Cytokinesis. Current Biology 2007 Aug 7;17(15):1286-97 Pubmed
17. Windbichler N*, Werner M*, Schroeder R. Kissing complex-mediated dimerization of HIV-1 RNA: coupling extended duplex formation to ribozyme cleavage. Nucleic Acids Res. 2003 Nov 15;31(22):6419-27 (*co-first author) Pubmed
Other Articles (invited & non-refereed) 1 . Werner ME, Maddox AS. Developmental diversity in cell division mechanisms. Developmental Cell 2018 Dec 3;47(5):535-536 Pubmed
2. Werner ME, Mitchell BJ, Planar cell polarity: microtubules make the connection with cilia. Current Biology 2012 Dec 4;22(23):R1001-4 4 Pubmed
3. Werner ME, Mitchell BJ. Understanding ciliated epithelia: The power of Xenopus. Genesis. 2012 Mar;50(3):176-85 Pubmed
4. Werner M, Glotzer M. Control of cortical contractility during cytokinesis Biochem Soc Trans 2008 Jun;36(Pt 3):371-7 Pubmed
5. Piekny A, Werner M, Glotzer M. Cytokinesis: welcome to the Rho zone. Trends Cell Biol. 2005 Dec;15(12):651-8 Pubmed