Name: Dr. Karen Symes

Position: ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, BIOCHEMISTRY

Research Description:

I lead the educational mission of the Department of Biochemistry. I chair the Department’s Curriculum Committee and am involved in curriculum development and research, course direction and teaching across the medical campus. As Assistant Dean of Student Affairs I am involved in personal and professional student support including academic enhancement, career guidance, personal counseling, referrals, advocacy, letters of recommendation, and emergency response for students facing personal and family crises. In this role I work with offices across the University including with Diversity and Inclusion, Disability Services, Enrichment, Academic Affairs, Financial Affairs, Housing Resources, Campus Police, Occupational Health. I also provide mentorship for individual students and student organizations.

I no longer run my research lab. The major goal of my laboratory was to understand the molecular basis of cell movements during embryonic development. We have shown that when signaling through the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptor is blocked in embryos of the frog, Xenopus laevis, mesoderm cell movements are inhibited. We used two strategies to dissect PDGF signaling in mesoderm cell movement.

Contact Information

Address:
Department of Biochemistry
Boston University School of Medicine
80 East Concord St.
Boston, MA
2118, USA

Email: symes@bu.edu
Web Page: https://www.bumc.bu.edu/biochemistry/profiles/karen-symes/
Phone:  617 638 4077
Fax:  617 638 5339