Laboratory of Structural Cell Biology

The laboratory of Structural Cell Biology aims to understand the molecular mechanisms governing specialized cell shapes, such as those of neurons, activated immune cells or platelets and certain cancer cells. We visualize the key factors determining different cell morphologies using in situ cellular cryo-electron tomography in combination with interdisciplinary techniques such as single-particle cryo-EM, X-ray crystallography, in vitro reconstitution and light microscopy.

The lab was initiated at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Martinsried and relocated to the NIH (NIAMS/NHLBI) in 2020.

On This Page
photo of Dr. Naoko Mizuno

Featured Publications

Molecular cartography within axons

Authors: Cada AK, Mizuno N.
Current opinion in cell biology 2024 Apr 12;88:102358
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The Architecture of Talin1 Reveals an Autoinhibition Mechanism.

Authors: Dedden D, Schumacher S, Kelley CF, Zacharias M, Biertümpfel C, Fässler R, Mizuno N
Cell 2019 Sep 19;179(1):120-131
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In situ cryo-electron tomography reveals local cellular machineries for axon branch development

Authors: Nedozralova H, Basnet N, Ibiricu I, Bodakuntla S, Biertümpfel C, Mizuno N.
J Cell Biol. 2022 Apr 04;221(4):
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Direct Induction of Microtubule Branching by Microtubule Nucleation Factor SSNA1.

Authors: Basnet N, Crevenna AH, Taschner M, Bodakuntla S, Cardone G, Magiera MM, Biertümpfel C, Janke C, Mizuno N
Nat Cell Biol. 2018 Sep 24;20(10):1172-1180
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Structural insights into integrin α5β1 opening by fibronectin ligand.

Authors: Schumacher S, Dedden D, Nunez RV, Matoba K, Takagi J, Biertümpfel C, Mizuno N.
Sci Adv. 2021 May 07;7(19):eabe9716
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Meet the Team

photo of Dr. Naoko Mizuno

Naoko Mizuno, Ph.D.

Senior Investigator

Naoko Mizuno graduated from the University of Tokyo in 1999, and received her Ph.D. in biophysics from the University of Tokyo/University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in 2005. Prior to joining the NHLBI, she spent 8 years as an independent group leader at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried in Germany. Dr. Mizuno received several European awards and honors, including EMBO Young Investigators award, Boehringer Ingelheim Stiftung Plus3 programme, and ERC consolidator grant. Dr. Mizuno serves as an editor of FEBS letter, evaluator for H2020 program of European Union.

Christian Biertuempfel

Christian Biertuempfel, Ph.D.

Staff Scientist
Lorenzo Agostini

Lorenzo Agostini, M.S.

Predoctoral Fellow
Satish Bodakuntla

Satish Bodakuntla, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow
Thien Van Truong

Thien Van Truong, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow
Pelayo Alvarez Brecht

Pelayo Alvarez Brecht, M.S.

Predoctoral Fellow
King Cada

King Cada, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow
Victor Vasquez Montes

Victor Vasquez Montes, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow
Jenny Ding, Research Fellow

Jenny Ding, Ph.D.

Research Fellow
Sophie Hesketh, Postdoctoral Fellow

Sophie Hesketh, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow
Dalia Fantini, Postbaccalaureate Fellow

Dalia Fantini, B.S.

Postbaccalaureate Fellow
Eve Gibbs, UGSP Fellow

Eve Gibbs

Undergraduate Scholarship Program (UGSP) Fellow
Daniel Tellez-Fanner, High School Intern

Daniel Tellez-Fanner

High School Intern
Julia Marelli, Postbaccalaureate Fellow

Julia Marelli

Postbaccalaureate Fellow
Zan Chaudhry, Postbaccalaureate Fellow

Zan Chaudhry

Postbaccalaureate Fellow
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Alumni

Julia Adam, Ph.D.

Ph.D. Student
2012 - 2016
Julia Adam, Ph.D. is currently at Industry, Germany.

Justine Witosch, Ph.D.

Ph.D. Student
2012 - 2015
Justine Witosch, Ph.D. is currently a Group Leader at Boehringer Ingelheim, Germany.

Dirk Dedden, Ph.D.

Ph.D. student/Postdoctoral Fellow
2013 - 2020
Dirk Dedden, Ph.D. is currently a Project Scientist at PROTEROS Biostructures, Germany .

Qianmin Wang, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow
2013 - 2018
Qianmin Wang, Ph.D. is currently a Associate Professor at Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, China.

Stephanie Schumacher, Ph.D.

Ph.D. Student
2015 - 2021
Stephanie Schumacher, Ph.D. is currently a Scientist at Rosche.

Charlotte Kelley, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow
2017 - 2020
Charlotte Kelley, Ph.D. is currently a Scientist, Molecular and Cellular Condensate Biology at Transition Bio.

Alexandra Neagoe, M.S.

Post Bachelor Intern
2017 - 2018
Alexandra Neagoe, M.S. is currently a Project Leader in Laboratory Services at Microcoat Biotechnologie GmbH.

Rebecca Moore, M.S.

Post Bachelor Intern
2017 - 2018
Rebecca Moore, M.S. is currently a PhD Student at Newcastle University, UK.

Iosune Ibiricu, Ph.D.

Staff Scientist
2018 - 2020
Iosune Ibiricu, Ph.D. is currently a Staff Scientist at Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Germany.

Hana Nedozralova, Ph.D.

Ph.D. Student
2018 - 2021
Hana Nedozralova, Ph.D. is currently a Postdoc at CEITEC, Czech Republic.

Nirakar Basnet, Ph.D.

Ph.D. student/Postdoctoral Fellow
2014 - 2022
Nirakar Basnet, Ph.D. is currently a Postdoc at Institute for Protein Innovation, USA.

Roberto Jareth Vazquez Nunez, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow
2020 - 2021
Roberto Jareth Vazquez Nunez, Ph.D. is currently a Postdoc at MIT.

Scott Nichols, M.S.

Postbaccalaureate Fellow
Scott Nichols, M.S. is currently a Medical Student at Georgetown University.

Kenichiro Taira, M.D., Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow
2020 - 2023
Kenichiro Taira, M.D., Ph.D. is currently a Assistant Professor at University of Tokyo.

Yurika Yamada, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow
2020 - 2023
Yurika Yamada, Ph.D. is currently a working at J.T., Japan.

Christopher Kuhn, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow
2018 - 2023
Christopher Kuhn, Ph.D. is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Germany.

Ryan Anderson, B.S.

Postbaccalaureate Fellow
Ryan Anderson, B.S. is currently a Ph.D. student at University of Pennsylvania.

John Pinion, B.S.

Postbaccalaureate Fellow
2021 - 2023
John Pinion, B.S. is currently a M.D. student at University of Cincinnati.

Youngmin Soh, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow
2021 - 2023

Thomas (TJ) Krzystek, Ph.D.

Shared postdoc fellow with Zhigang He
2022 - 2023
Thomas (TJ) Krzystek, Ph.D. is currently a Scientist at ALS Therapy Development Institute.
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Laboratory of Structural Cell Biology staff

Laboratory of Structural Cell Biology staff photo