Richard Cheney, PhD

EMAIL: cheneyr@med.unc.edu

PERSONAL WEBSITE: https://www.med.unc.edu/cellbiophysio/directory/richard-cheney-phd/

PUBLICATIONS: Publications Link

Our research focuses on investigating the cell biology of the actin cytoskeleton, and particularly on actin-based motor proteins of myosin superfamily. Our current research centers on Myo10 (myosin-X), an unconventional myosin that binds to PIP3 and localizes to the tips of filopodia, finger-like cellular protrusions involved in processes such as brain development, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Myo10 also localizes to the tips of invadopodia and in model systems blocking Myo10 inhibits the growth or metastasis of many forms of cancer including melanoma, breast cancer, and lung cancer. In addition to various cell biological probes for Myo10, we have developed Myo10 knock-out and floxed mice. Although approximately half of Myo10 KO mice exhibit the lethal neural tube defect of exencephaly and die during development, the KO mice that survive birth are able to grow to adulthood and reproduce, although they exhibit high frequencies of developmental defects such as white belly spots, persistent fetal vasculature in the eye, microphthalmia, and webbed digits. Because Myo10 has important roles in cancer cells in processes such as the clustering of the excess centrosomes that are a hallmark of cancer, but is not required for the survival of adult mammals, Myo10 is an attractive target for anti-cancer research.