University of California-San Francisco · BiochemistryThe Shape Lab
Wallace Marshall · San Francisco, California
Research Focus
Dr. Wallace Marshall's lab at UCSF focuses on understanding how cells determine their shapes and structures, which are crucial for their functions. By studying model organisms and employing techniques from both biology and engineering, they investigate how cells sense and respond to changes in their geometry. Their research has important implications for understanding diseases where cell structure is altered, such as cancer.
cell geometryorganism modelsflagellar length controlcell morphogenesisinterdisciplinary biology
Research Aims
5AIM 01Investigate how cells sense the length of their flagella to control organelle size.
AIM 02Study global cell morphogenesis and regeneration using the model organism Stentor.
AIM 03Explore how cells encode information about their geometry for proper morphology.
AIM 04Combine methods from physics and engineering with biological techniques to understand cell structures.
AIM 05Analyze the relationship between cell geometry and physiological functions.
Skills the Lab Values
microscopyimage analysisgenetic manipulationgenomicsmathematical modeling
Output against the department
Publications535top 8% of dept.31st of 402
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations18ktop 25% of dept.100th of 402
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.