Irvine Lab

Research Overview

The Irvine Lab investigates intercellular signaling networks and the influence of these signaling networks on cell fate, organ growth, and morphogenesis, using both Drosophila and mammalian models. We study both the molecular mechanisms of signal transduction, and the roles of signaling pathways in different developmental and physiological contexts. A current focus is on how cells perceive their mechanical environment, and how tissue mechanics influences organ growth and morphogenesis. We also investigate relationships between spatial patterning and growth in developing and regenerating organs and how patterning inputs are integrated with other factors that influence organ growth, including tissue mechanics.

Contact Information

Waksman Institute
190 Frelinghuysen Road
Irvine Lab
Piscataway, NJ 08854
United States

(848) 445-2332
irvine@waksman.rutgers.edu
Links

Selected Publications

Complete list of publications: [Google Scholar] [Pubmed]

Organization and Function of Tension-dependent Complexes at Adherens Junctions.

Rauskolb, C., Cervantes, E., Madere, F. and Irvine, K.D. 2019. J Cell Science, 132, jcs224063.

Early girl is a novel component of the Fat signaling pathway.

Misra, J.R. and Irvine, K.D. 2019.  PLoS Genetics, 15, e1007955.

Oriented cell divisions are not required for Drosophila wing shape.

Zhou, Z. Alégot, H., and Irvine, K.D. 2019.  Current Biology, 29, 856-864.

Recruitment of Jub by a-catenin promotes Yki activity and Drosophila wing growth.

Alégot, H., Markosian, C., Rauskolb, C. Yang, J., Kirichenko, E., Wang, Y.-C., and Irvine, K.D. 2019.  J Cell Science, 132, jcs222018.

The Dynamics of Hippo Signaling during Drosophila Wing.

Pan, Y., Alégot, H., Rauskolb, C. and Irvine, K.D. 2018.  Development, 145, dev165712.

Tension-dependent regulation of mammalian Hippo signaling through LIMD1.

Ibar, C., Kirichenko, E., Keepers, B., Enners, E., Fleisch K. and Irvine, K.D. 2018.  J Cell Science, 131, jcs214700.

Vamana couples Fat signaling to the Hippo pathway.

Misra, J.R. and Irvine, K.D. 2016.  Dev. Cell 39, 254-266. PMCID: PMC5102026

Differential growth triggers mechanical feedback that elevates Hippo signaling. 

Pan, Y., Heemskerk, I., Ibar, C., Shraiman, B. I. and Irvine, K.D. 2016. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA 113, E6974-E6983 PMCID: PMC5111668

Localization of Hippo Signaling complexes and Warts activation in vivo.

Sun, S., Reddy, B.V.V.G., and Irvine, K.D. 2015. Nature Communications 6, 8402. PMCID: PMC4598633

Coordination of planar cell polarity pathways through Spiny legs.

Ambegaonkar, A.A. and Irvine, K.D. 2015. eLife 4, e09946. PMCID: PMC4764577

Cytoskeletal Tension inhibits Hippo signaling through an Ajuba-Warts complex.

Rauskolb, C., Sun, S., Sun, G., Pan, Y. and Irvine, K.D. 2014.  Cell, 158, 143-156. PMCID: PMC4082802

Regulation of YAP by Mechanical Strain through Jnk and Hippo Signaling.

Codelia, V., Sun, G., and Irvine, K.D. 2014.  Current Biology, 24, 2012-2017. PMCID: PMC4160395

Ajuba family proteins link JNK to Hippo signaling. Science Signaling 6, ra81.

Sun, G. and Irvine, K.D. 2013. PMCID: PMC3830546

Regulation of Hippo signaling by EGFR-MAPK signaling through Ajuba family proteins.

Reddy, B.V.V.G. and Irvine, K.D. 2013. Dev. Cell 24, 459-471. PMCID: PMC3624988

Propagation of Dachsous-Fat Planar Cell Polarity.

Ambegaonkar, A.A., Pan, G., Mani, M., Feng, Y. and Irvine, K.D. 2012. Current Biology 22, 1302-1308. PMCID: PMC3418676

Characterization of a Dchs1 mutant mouse reveals requirements for Dchs1-Fat4 signaling during mammalian development.

Mao, Y., Mulvaney, J., Zakaria, S., Yu, T., Malanga, K., Allen, S., Basson, M.A., Francis-West, P., and Irvine, K.D. 2011. Development, 138, 947-957. PMCID: PMC3035097

Modulation of Fat-Dachsous binding by the cadherin domain kinase Four-jointed.

Simon, M.A., Xu, A., Ishikawa, H.O. and Irvine, K.D. 2010.  Current Biology 20, 811-817. PMCID: PMC2884055

Warts and Yorkie mediate intestinal regeneration by influencing stem cell proliferation.

Staley, B.K. and Irvine, K.D. 2010.  Current Biology 20, 1580-1587. PMCID: PMC2955330

Four-jointed is a Golgi kinase that phosphorylates a subset of cadherin domains.

Ishikawa, H.O., Takeuchi, H., Haltiwanger, R.S. and Irvine, K.D. 2008. Science 321, 401-404. PMCID: PMC2562711

Delineation of a Fat tumor suppressor pathway.

Cho, E., Feng, Y., Rauskolb, C., Maitra, S., Fehon, R., and Irvine, K.D. 2006. Nature Genetics 38, 1142-1150.

Control of Growth and Morphogenesis

During development, organs grow to a characteristic size and shape. This is essential for normal organ function, and the symptoms of many congenital syndromes stem from defects in organ growth or morphogenesis. Moreover, dysregulation of growth control is associated with tumorigenesis. A detailed understanding of organ growth and morphogenesis will also be required to create functional organs from stem cells, which is a key goal of regenerative medicine. Yet how characteristic and reproducible organ size and shape are achieved remains poorly understood.

Key molecular insights into how growth is controlled have come from the identification and characterization in model systems of intercellular signaling pathways that are required for the normal control of organ growth. Many of these pathways are highly conserved among different phyla. We are engaged in projects whose long-term goals are to define relationships between patterning and growth in developing and regenerating organs and to determine how these patterning inputs are integrated with other factors that influence organ growth, such as nutrition and mechanical stress. Much of our research takes advantage of the powerful genetic, molecular, and cellular techniques available in Drosophila melanogaster, which facilitate both gene discovery and the analysis of gene function. We also use cultured mammalian cell models and organoids.

wing disc clones
wing disc clones

Current Lab Members

Principal Investigator
  • President's Award 2017
    Dr. Ken Irvine

    irvine@waksman.rutgers.edu

    Kenneth Irvine is Principal Investigator in the Waksman Institute, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, and Director of the Graduate Program in Cell and Developmental Biology. He studies intercellular signaling networks and the influence of these signaling networks on cell fate, organ growth, and morphogenesis, using both Drosophila and mammalian models. A current focus in his lab is on how cells perceive their mechanical environment, and how tissue mechanics influences organ growth and morphogenesis.

Research Faculty
  • Waksman Person
    Dr. Cordelia Rauskolb

    rauskolb@waksman.rutgers.edu

Postdoctoral Researchers
  • Waksman Person
    Dr. Consuelo Ibar

    con.ibar@rutgers.edu

  • Waksman Person
    Dr. Bipin Tripathi

    btripathi@waksman.rutgers.edu

Lab Researchers
  • Waksman Person
    Kush Mansuria

Graduate Students
  • Waksman Person
    Elmira Kirichenko

    elmirak@waksman.rutgers.edu

  • Waksman Person
    Deimante Mikalauskaite
  • Waksman Person
    Srividya Venkatramanan

Undergraduate Students
  • Waksman Person
    Tom Lehan

Alumni

Former Research Associates
  • Dr. Jyoti Misra

Former Graduate Students
  • Zhenru Zhou

Former Undergraduate Students
  • Jessica Amoako