Research

Mechanistic insight into cytoskeletal machines.

I address long-standing questions about microtubule motors, dynamics, and other filaments using cryo-EM and single-molecule fluorescence microscopy, alongside computational analysis tools.

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Active themes

Motor mechanics

Mechanistic insight into dynein regulation on microtubules.

Microtubule dynamics

Polymerization, stability, and non-canonical structures.

Filament structure

Microtubule and ESCRT-III structures that drive remodeling.

Single-Molecule Biophysics

Fluorescence microscopy to probe motor behavior.

Cryo-EM analysis

CryoDRGN, Topaz, CrYOLO, Relion, and CryoSPARC for particle analysis.

Computational tool development

Custom pipelines for cryo-EM and single-molecule data analysis.

Publications

Google Scholar profile

Science Advances cover featuring Asgard archaea research

Asgard archaea reveal the conserved principles of ESCRT-III membrane remodeling

Souza DP*, Espadas J*, Chaaban S*, Moody ERR, Hatano T, Balasubramanian M, Williams TA, Roux A, Baum B.

Science Advances - 2025

Asgard archaea ESCRT-III membrane remodeling figure

Dynein microtubule-binding domain visualization

A force-sensitive mutation reveals a non-canonical role for dynein in anaphase progression

Salvador-Garcia D, Jin L, Hensley A, Golcuk M, Gallaud E, Chaaban S, Port F, Vagnoni A, Planelles-Herrero VJ, McClintock MA, Derivery E, Carter AP, Giet R, Gur M, Yildiz A, Bullock SL.

Journal of Cell Biology - 2024

Protein structure prediction visualization

Navigating protein structure prediction in the era of machine learning

Chaaban S*, Ratkevičiūtė G*, Lau C*.

The Biochemist - 2024

Nature cover featuring dynein-dynactin structure

Structure of dynein-dynactin on microtubules shows tandem adaptor binding

Chaaban S, Carter AP.

Nature - 2022

Dynein-dynactin structure on microtubules

Crystal structure of human PACRG in complex with MEIG1 reveals roles in axoneme formation and tubulin binding

Khan N, Pelletier D, McAlear TS, Croteau N, Veyron S, Bayne A, Black C, Ichikawa I, Khalifa AAZ, Chaaban S, Kurinov I, Brouhard GJ, Bechstedt S, Bui KH, Trempe J-F.

Structure - 2021

Cover featuring C. elegans tubulin study

The structure and dynamics of C. elegans tubulin reveals the mechanistic basis of microtubule growth

Chaaban S, Jariwala S, Hsu C-T, Redemann S, Kollman JM, Muller-Reichert T, Sept D, Bui KH, Brouhard GJ.

Developmental Cell - 2018

A microtubule bestiary: structural diversity in tubulin polymers

Chaaban S, Brouhard GJ.

Molecular Biology of the Cell - 2017

Diazonamide DZ-2384 microtubule curvature study

The synthetic diazonamide DZ-2384 has distinct effects on microtubule curvature and dynamics without neurotoxicity

Wieczorek M, Tcherkezian J, Bernier C, Prota AE, Chaaban S, Rolland Y, Godbout C, Hancock MA, Arezzo JC, Ocal O, Rocha C, Olieric N, Hall A, Ding H, Bramoulle A, Annis MG, Zogopoulos G, Harran PG, Wilkie TM, Brekken RA, Siegel PM, Steinmetz MO, Shore GC, Brouhard GJ, Roulston A.

Science Translational Medicine - 2016

Microtubule-associated proteins control the kinetics of microtubule nucleation

Wieczorek M, Bechstedt S, Chaaban S, Brouhard GJ.

Nature Cell Biology - 2015

Macromolecular crowding pushes catalyzed microtubule growth to near the theoretical limit

Wieczorek M*, Chaaban S*, Brouhard GJ.

Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering - 2013