Mark A. McNiven, Ph.D.

Dr. Mark McNiven is a Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and is a chair of the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department. In addition, Dr. McNiven is the Program Leader for the Mayo Cancer Center Cell Biology Program and was the Chair of the American Cancer Society Cell Biology and Metastasis Study Section for 2005-06.

Dr. McNiven's laboratory focuses on the mechanisms by which cells internalize, toxins, growth factors and receptors. Understanding the machinery that supports these endocytic processes provides important insights into cell growth and neoplasia. Specifically, his laboratory has focused their efforts on a large GTPase, dynamin which appears to mediate vesicle formation during endocytosis and secretion. Interestingly, the dynamins comprise a large super-family of multiple proteins that interact with a variety of cytoskeletal and signaling molecules to support a multiple cell functions including cell migration and metastasis, cellular resistance to viral infection, mitochondrial dynamics and division, neurite/synapse morphogenesis, as well as vesicle trafficking. The lab is uniquely situated to make substantial contributions to these important biological processes.