Dr. Davis investigates the cellular machinery responsible for genome partitioning during cell division. The
kinetochore is a highly conserved element of this machinery; it is the vital link between chromosomes and
the microtubules that pull replicated chromosomes apart. Davis and her colleagues use diverse molecular
techniques–– from single-molecule biophysical approaches to biochemistry, genetics, and microscopy––
to investigate the dynamic assembly, structure, and regulation of the kinetochore. Their work reveals a
sequential and coordinated pattern of protein-protein interactions that contribute to the mechanics of cell
division and the fidelity of genome inheritance