Professor Dr. Amy Gladfelter

Biography

Amy Gladfelter is a quantitative cell biologist whose research focuses on the fundamental mechanisms of cell organization. Her program employs microscopy, biophysical, genetic approaches, and mathematical modeling to study syncytial cells—cells with multiple nuclei sharing a common cytoplasm, commonly found in fungi and human tissues such as muscle and placenta. Her current research investigates how these large cells spatially organize their cytoplasm and biomolecular condensates in relation to their shape. One of her main projects examines the giant syncytium formed in the human placenta, which is essential for pregnancy. Additionally, she explores how syncytial fungi adapt to environmental fluctuations, aiming to predict their adaptation mechanisms under extreme conditions. Over her career, she has received numerous awards, including the Graduate Mentoring Award from Dartmouth in 2014, the Mid-Career Award for Excellence in Research from the American Society for Cell Biology in 2015, and the Graduate School Mentoring Award from the University of North Carolina in 2020. She is also an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Academy of Microbiology, among other honors.

Research Interests

Experience

Awards

Courses