Professor Dr. Lawrence Shapiro

Biography

Lawrence S. Shapiro is a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics at Columbia University. His research lab primarily focuses on cell adhesion biology, particularly in the context of establishing synaptic connections in neurons, using the retina as a primary model system. The laboratory encompasses molecular-level studies utilizing X-ray crystallography to understand the structure and function of individual proteins, in conjunction with cellular and histologic studies to elucidate their roles in vivo. Key projects include the examination of the structure and function of a family of putative neural cell adhesion proteins known as protocadherins, which are expressed with remarkable specificity by neurons of identical lineage, and the investigation of tubby proteins, which function as signaling factors downstream of heterotrimeric G-proteins. Shapiro's work contributes to the understanding of the biochemical origins of dysfunction in associated genetic disorders, highlighting the significance of selective adhesion molecules in neural circuits.

Research Interests

Experience