Council Dates: October 2008 - May 2009
Independent Position: Biochemistry and Biophysics Center, NHLBI
Justin Taraska was a Post-Doctoral Fellow in Physiology and Biophysics at the University of Washington. In the laboratory of William Zagotta, his research employed a combination of novel fluorescence techniques, biochemistry, and live cell imaging to understand SNARE proteins involved in exocytosis. More specifically, he focused his efforts at two levels of investigation, studying the structure and dynamics of SNAREs in isolated membrane patches as well as in intact living cells. Understanding how exocytosis is controlled would inform both how dysfunction leads to diseases and potential therapeutic approaches.
He earned his Ph.D. in Cell Biology from the Vollum Institute at Oregon Health and Science University, and his B.A. in Biology from Reed College.