Berl Ray Oakley
- Irving S. Johnson Distinguished Professor of Molecular Biology
Contact Info
Biography —
Dr. Oakley joined KU's Department of Molecular Molecular Biosciences in 2008 after 26 years at Ohio State University. His research interest focuses on mitosis, microtubules and the cell cycle.
During his tenure at KU, he has worked with colleagues at the University of Southern California and the University of Wisconsin, and others, to develop applied molecular genetic methods to elicit the production of scores of novel fungal secondary metabolites. At Ohio State University, his lab made a number of significant discoveries. Most notably, they discovered gamma-tubulin, showed that it is essential for mitotic apparatus formation in A. nidulans, showed that it is present in flies and humans, and showed that it is located at microtubule organizing centers such as centrosomes. They also mapped the two human gamma-tubulin genes within the human genome.
Dr. Oakley is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and the American Society for Cell Biology.
Learn more about Berl Oakley on the Department of Molecular Biosciences website.
Education —
Marshall Scholar
Angier B. Duke Scholar