Brandon Bensel, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow 

Bessel, Brandon

Background

I received my Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA in May 2013, and then transition to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY for my graduate studies. My PhD work was completed in the lab of Susan P. Gilbert, and I received my PhD in Biology in May 2019.

Contact

Lab:

HSRF115

Phone:

802-656-3841 

Lab Group

A member of the D Warshaw laboratory.

Research Description

The proper delivery of cellular cargoes via intracellular transport is necessary to ensure healthy cellular function. To date, much work has been done to understand the mechanisms which regulate cargo transport in vitro, yet much of this work is done in 2 dimensions with a single type of motor on a rigid cargo, which may not recapitulate the physiological system. My work aims to understand how teams of multiple kinesin and myosin molecular motors navigate complex 3-dimensional networks of microtubules and actin filaments while bound to artificial liposome cargoes.

Highlighted Publications

Woll, KA, Guzik-Lendrum, S, Bensel, BM, Bhanu, NV, Dailey, WP, Garcia, BA, Gilbert, SP, Eckenhoff, RG. An allosteric propofol-binding site in kinesin disrupts kinesin-mediated processive movement on microtubules. J Biol Chem. 2018; 293(20):11283-11295.

Bensel BM, Guzik-Lendrum S, Masucci EM, Woll KA, Eckenhoff RG, Gilbert SP. Common general anesthetic propofol impairs kinesin processivity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2017 May 23;114(21):E4281-E4287. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1701482114. Epub 2017 May 8

Guzik-Lendrum S, Rank KC, Bensel BM, Taylor KC, Rayment I, Gilbert SP. Kinesin-2 KIF3AC and KIF3AB Can Drive Long-Range Transport along Microtubules. Biophys J. 2015 Oct 6;109(7):1472-82. doi: 10.1016/j.bpj.2015.08.004.

 

All B. Bensel publications 

Selected Honors and Services

Rensselaer Founders Award of Excellence (2018)

CBIS GSA Vice President (2014-2015)