Harvard University · Microbiology & ImmunologyBacterial Cell Division Laboratory
Ethan Clark Garner · Cambridge, Massachusetts
Research Focus
The research lab led by Dr. Ethan Clark Garner at Harvard focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms of bacterial cell division, specifically how proteins called FtsZ and FtsA deform the bacterial membrane to initiate this process. By studying these mechanisms, the lab aims to improve our understanding of antibiotic design and how to combat pathogenic bacteria more effectively. Their work combines in vivo experiments with in vitro studies to explore the physical properties and behaviors of these filaments at the cellular level.
bacterial cell divisionFtsZmembrane deformationantibiotic designprotein crowdingBacillus subtilisfilament condensationmembrane tensionbiophysics
Research Aims
5AIM 01Examine how FtsZ filament crowding deforms bacterial membranes to initiate cell division.
AIM 02Investigate the relationship between membrane tension and FtsZ filament bundling in Bacillus subtilis.
AIM 03Determine how specific properties of FtsZ/FtsA filaments affect their ability to deform membranes.
AIM 04Test the novel mechanism by which the bacterial division machinery bends the membrane for cell division.
AIM 05Explore the potential implications for antibiotic design based on the findings of filament dynamics.
Skills the Lab Values
cell culturein vivo techniquesin vitro assaysbiophysical analysiscryogenic electron tomographymicroscopybiochemical assaysprotein purificationliposome preparation
Output against the department
Publications123bottom 47% of dept.259th of 486
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations11ktop 31% of dept.153rd of 486
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.