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ResearchBechara Kachar, M.D.
Bechara Kachar, M.D.
Chief
Laboratory of Cell Structure and Dynamics
Building 50, Room 4249
50 South Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892-8027
Phone: (301) 402-1600
Fax: (301) 402-1765
E-mail: kacharb@nidcd.nih.gov
Dr. Kachar received his M.D. degree from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil in 1977. He did postdoctoral research on membrane structure and intercellular junctions with Pedro Pinto da Silva at the NCI and cell structure and motility with Thomas Reese at the NINDS. Dr. Kachar joined the NIDCD in 1986.
Laboratory of Cell Structure and Dynamics
The Laboratory of Cell Structure and Dynamics (LCSD) seeks an integrated molecular understanding of the architecture, dynamics, function, and renewal of specialized cellular structures - in particular those underlying mechanosensory function of auditory and vestibular sensory cells. The long-term goal of the program is to develop a framework for understanding the different forms of loss of mechanosensory function and to explore opportunities for preventive and therapeutic interventions.
Personnel
Members of Dr. Kachar's lab investigate the fundamental biological
processes of hearing.
Photo credit: NIH Intramural Research Program
website.
- M'hamed Grati, Eng. Ph.D., Research Fellow, 301-594-8296 (Send e-mail)
- Seham Ebrahim, Visiting Fellow, 301-594 8350 (Send e-mail)
- Taro Fujikawa M.D. Visiting Fellow, 301-594-8297 (Send e-mail)
- Alanna Windsor, HHMI/NIH Research Scholar, 301-402-1601 (Send e-mail)
- Livia Siman Gomes, Graduate student, 301-435-5116 (Send e-mail)
- Yuhai Dai, biologist-contractor, 301-402-1599 (Send e-mail)
- Bryan Millis, IRTS Fellow, 301-402-1600 (Send e-mail)
Selected Recent Publications
- Merritt RC, Manor U, Salles FT, Grati M, Dose AC, Unrath WC, Quintero OA, Yengo CM, Kachar B. (2012). Myosin IIIB uses an actin-binding motif in its espin-1 cargo to reach the tips of actin protrusions. Curr Biol. 22(4), 320-5.
- Burnette DT, Sengupta P, Dai Y, Lippincott-Schwartz J, Kachar B. (2011). Bleaching/blinking assisted localization microscopy for superresolution imaging using standard fluorescent molecules. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 108(52), 21081-6.
- Graydon CW, Cho S, Li GL, Kachar B, von Gersdorff H. (2011). Sharp Ca2+ Nanodomains beneath the Ribbon Promote Highly Synchronous Multivesicular Release at Hair Cell Synapses. J Neurosci. 31(46), 16637-50.
- Zhang Y, Conti MA, Malide D, Dong F, Wang A, Shmist YA, Liu C, Zerfas P, Daniels MP, Chan CC, Kozin E, Kachar B, Kelley MJ, Kopp JB, Adelstein RS. (2011). Mouse models of MYH9-related disease: mutations in nonmuscle myosin II-A. Blood.
- Grati M, Kachar B. (2011). Myosin VIIa and sans localization at stereocilia upper tip-link density implicates these Usher syndrome proteins in mechanotransduction. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 108(28), 11476-81.
- Webb SW, Grillet N, Andrade LR, Xiong W, Swarthout L, Della Santina CC, Kachar B, Müller U. (2011). Regulation of PCDH15 function in mechanosensory hair cells by alternative splicing of the cytoplasmic domain. Development 138(8), 1607-17.
- Burnette DT, Manley S, Sengupta P, Sougrat R, Davidson MW, Kachar B, Lippincott-Schwartz J. (2011). A role for actin arcs in the leading-edge advance of migrating cells. Nat Cell Bio 13(4), 371-81.
- Manor U, Disanza A, Grati M, Andrade L, Lin H, Di Fiore PP, Scita G, Kachar B. (2011). Regulation of stereocilia length by myosin XVa and whirlin depends on the actin-regulatory protein Eps8. Curr Biol 21(2), 167-72.
- Grimes WN, Zhang J, Graydon CW, Kachar B, Diamond JS. (2010). Retinal parallel processors: more than 100 independent microcircuits operate within a single interneuron. Neuron, 65(6), 873-85.
- Schwander M, Kachar B, Müller U. (2010). The cell biology of hearing. J Cell Biol 190(1), 9-20. Review.
- Grillet N, Xiong W, Reynolds A, Kazmierczak P, Sato T, Lillo C, Dumont RA, Hintermann E, Sczaniecka A, Schwander M, Williams D, Kachar B, Gillespie PG, Müller U. (2009). Harmonin mutations cause mechanotransduction defects in cochlear hair cells. Neuron 62(3), 375-87.
- Salles FT, Merritt RC Jr, Manor U, Dougherty GW, Sousa AD, Moore JE, Yengo CM, Dosé AC, Kachar B. (2009). Myosin IIIa boosts elongation of stereocilia by transporting espin 1 to the plus ends of actin filaments. Nat Cell Biol 11(4), 443-50.
- Sousa AD, Andrade LR, Salles FT, Pillai AM, Buttermore ED, Bhat MA, Kachar B. (2009). The septate junction protein caspr is required for structural support and retention of KCNQ4 at calyceal synapses of vestibular hair cells. J Neurosci 29(10), 3103-8.
- Schwander M, Xiong W, Tokita J, Lelli A, Elledge HM, Kazmierczak P, Sczaniecka A, Kolatkar A, Wiltshire T, Kuhn P, Holt JR, Kachar B, Tarantino L, Müller U. (2009). A mouse model for nonsyndromic deafness (DFNB12) links hearing loss to defects in tip links of mechanosensory hair cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 106(13), 5252-7.
- Manor U, Kachar B. Dynamic length regulation of sensory stereocilia. (2008). Semin. Cell Dev Biol.
- Kazmierczak, P., Sakaguchi, H., Tokita, J., Wilson-Kubalek, E. M., Milligan, R. A., Muller, U. and Kachar, B. (2007). Cadherin 23 and protocadherin 15 interact to form tip-link filaments in sensory hair cells. Nature 449, 87-91.
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