Droplets, droplets everywhere…cell organization by liquid-liquid phase separation

The Rosen lab seeks to understand the formation, regulation and functions of enigmatic, cellular compartments termed biomolecular condensates. These evolutionarily conserved structures concentrate diverse but specific groups of molecules without a surrounding membrane. Condensates appear to form through the physical process of liquid-liquid phase separation. Using a range of techniques, including biochemical reconstitution and in vitro and cellular microsopies, we investigate phase separation in both engineered and natural condensates. The former, in their simplified nature, enable precise isolation of key molecular parameters governing condensate behaviors, revealing general principles. The latter allow demonstration of these principles in more complex natural biochemical and cellular systems. Ultimately, we seek to understand cell organization on scales spanning nanometers to microns.