Kenneth J. Kemphues

Professor of Developmental Biology. Research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the establishment of cell polarity with a special emphasis on asymmetric cell divisions during embryonic development. Using the asymmetric divisions of C. elegans embryos as a model, he and his lab discovered and continue to study the PAR proteins, which occupy mutually exclusive domains of the anterior and posterior cortex. Subsequent work by many labs around the world has shown that the PAR proteins are highly conserved and are key components for establishing and maintaining polarity in a variety of cell types and animals, including humans. During their analysis of the PAR-1 protein, his lab discovered that both antisense and sense RNA corresponding to a particular gene, when injected into worms, could specifically silence the expression of that gene in the worm's progeny. Following up on the lab's initial observation and publication of PAR-1 silencing, Andy Fire and Craig Mello subsequently showed that the effective agent was double stranded RNA and ultimately received a Nobel Prize for their discovery of RNAi- RNAi interference.