Jennifer Silverman
Vassar College
Matthew Tyska lab
My research focuses on the unique actin cytoskeletal dynamics of intestinal tuft cells. These cells play both a chemosensory and immunomodulatory role within the small intestine, yet almost nothing is known about how they build their giant core actin bundles and whether they are used as tracks by myosin motor proteins for vesicle transport. My research will use high resolution microscopy techniques on mouse models, cell culture, and organoids to look at two proteins enriched in tuft cells – espin and myosin 1b.