Cornell University · ChemistryThe Chemotaxis and Circadian Lab
Brian R Crane · Ithaca, New York
Research Focus
The Crane lab at Cornell University focuses on understanding how light and chemical signals influence the behavior of cells, particularly in bacteria and fruit flies. They study key systems that allow cells to move toward certain stimuli, a process crucial for bacteria to cause disease, and also investigate the molecular mechanisms that regulate biological clocks in organisms. By using advanced techniques in biochemistry and structural biology, the lab aims to contribute to our knowledge of diseases that arise when these systems malfunction.
chemotaxiscircadian rhythmsbacterial signalingphotochemistryredox chemistrymacromolecular complexesbiochemical reconstitutionprotein engineeringbiophysical techniques
Research Aims
5AIM 01Investigate the assembly and signaling mechanisms of chemoreceptors in bacterial chemotaxis.
AIM 02Understand the molecular structure and function of circadian clock components in organisms.
AIM 03Explore the role of photochemistry in regulating biological signaling pathways.
AIM 04Develop new methods for detecting and characterizing protein interactions in vitro and in vivo.
AIM 05Correlate structural insights with biological activities to inform drug development for diseases.
Skills the Lab Values
PCRcell cultureX-ray crystallographycryo-electron microscopyspectroscopyprotein engineeringcellular assaysmolecular dynamicscomputer modeling
Output against the department
Publications311top 36% of dept.77th of 216
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations13ktop 41% of dept.88th of 216
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.