Dr. Yair Argon

Biography

Yair Argon is an Emeritus Professor in the Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. He completed his B.S. in Biology at Hebrew University Medical School, Jerusalem in 1974, followed by a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Harvard Medical School in 1980. In 1984, he was a Fellow at the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, UK. His research expertise focuses on molecular chaperones involved in the modulation of cell surface receptors and secreted proteins. His laboratory examines how molecular chaperones, particularly BiP and GRP94, affect the folding, assembly, and secretion of proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum. This research is crucial for understanding protein misfolding and aggregation, particularly in the context of amyloid diseases. Argon's work employs both biochemical techniques and genetic models to dissect the functions of these chaperones and explore their relevance in muscle physiology and cellular responses to stress.

Research Interests