Dr. Richard Todd

Department: Plant Pathology
rbtodd@ksu.edu
Departmental Website

Many cancers result from aberrant regulation of cell growth by transcription factors. Transcription factors are key regulators that control expression of genes governing nutrient metabolism, cell growth and development. We use the powerful molecular genetics of the model eukaryote Aspergillus nidulans to genetically engineer modifications in genes, in ways we cannot in humans, allowing us to determine the molecular mechanisms controlling transcription factor action. Importantly, mechanisms of gene regulation are conserved between A. nidulans and humans. My research focuses on understanding regulation, in response to nutrient availability, of the founding member of the GATA transcription factor family. In humans, GATA transcription factors are involved in a range of cancer diseases.