Engineering biomolecular condensates
in vitro and in cellulo
- Structure, dynamics, and adaptation of condensates in bacteria, mammalian cells, and fungi
- Design principles for condensates as the next generation of therapeutics
- Generalization for endless use cases
Research overview
Biomolecular condensate formation by phase separation has emerged as a new principle to explain the dynamic organization of living cells. Using the polar organizing protein Z (PopZ) from the α-proteobacteria Caulobacter crescentus as a model system, our lab is interested in…
- How structure, dynamics, and organization contribute to the function of PopZ in C. Crescentus
- Engineering the minimal and modular subunit, PopTag, for controlling cellular processes in mammalian cells
- Engineering PopTag as environmentally isolated micro environments for enzymatic reactions and biomolecules like RNA
Selected Publications
The filamentous ultrastructure of the PopZ condensate is required for its cellular function
Nature Structural & Molecular Biology 2026
Technologies
At Scripps, we have access to a variety of instruments through Core Facilities. High resolution imaging allows us to probe filaments, material properties, and micron-scale organization of PopZ/PopTag condensates both in vitro and in cellulo. Furthermore, we apply synthetic and cell biology approaches to engineering PopTag in bacteria and mammalian cells.
Contact Us! We are hiring!
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1st floor of the Skaggs Molecular
Biology Building. Room 105 - klasker@scripps.edu
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- +1 (858) 784 8775