Our lab studies cell division, with a focus on the dynamic interaction between the chromosomes and the nuclear envelope. The chromosomes are attached to the nuclear envelope at multiple sites in most part of the cell division cycle. In higher organisms, the nuclear envelope breaks down during mitosis when the duplicated chromosomes partition into the dividing new cells. This process is facilitated by phosphorylation of proteins on the chromosome and the nuclear envelope, allowing free movement of the chromosome. In the unicellular organism yeast, the nuclear envelope remains intact throughout mitosis. Our lab is investigating whether the chromosomes are also detached from the nuclear envelope for chromosomes to move to new cells in this type of mitosis. Our lab is also studying whether phosphorylation of the nuclear envelope is involved in this process to understand whether similar mechanisms for chromosome detachment in mitosis is evolutionarily conserved from yeast to human.