Faculty Profile

Scott C Dawson
Assistant Professor
Microbiology (College of Biological Sciences)
255 Briggs Hall
Office 530 752 3633
Lab 530 754 7361
scdawson@ucdavis.edu
[Picture of Scott C Dawson]

Degrees:
2000 - PhD - University of California - Berkeley - Molecular and Cell Biology
1989 - BS - University of Michigan - Biology

Awards:
2007 National Academy Education Fellow in the Life Sciences

Department and Center Affiliations:
Microbiology

Professional Societies:
American Society for Microbiology
American Society for Cell Biology

Grad Group Affiliations and Specialties:
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Microbiology

Publications:
J. C. Hoeng*, S. C. Dawson*, S. A. House, M. S. Sagolla, J. K. Pham, J. J. Mancuso, J. Löwe, and W. Z. Cande (2008) High resolution crystal structure and in vivo function of a kinesin-2 homolog in Giardia intestinalis. Mol Biol Cell. 19(7):3124-37.

S.C. Dawson, M.S. Sagolla, J. J. Mancuso, D.J. Woessner, S.A. House, L. Fritz-Laylin, W.Z. Cande. (2007) Kinesin-13 has a critical role in interphase and mitotic microtubule dynamics in Giardia intestinalis. Eukaryotic Cell 6(12):2354-64.

Dawson, S.C., Sagolla, M., Cande, W.Z. (2007). The cenH3 histone variant defines centromeres in Giardia intestinalis. Chromosoma. 116 (2):175-84

Sagolla, M.S., Dawson, S.C., Mancuso, J.J., Cande, W.Z. (2006) Three dimensional analysis of mitosis and cytokinesis in Giardia intestinalis. J. Cell Science 119 (23): 4889-4900.

Dawson, S.C. and N.R. Pace. (2002) Novel kingdom-level eukaryotic diversity in anoxic environments Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., U.S.A. 99 (12): 8324-8329.

Research Interests:
Beyond ultrastructural or genomic descriptions, little is known about the diversity or cytoskeletal dynamics in many microbial eukaryotes. My research program focuses on two related diplomonad protists Giardia intestinalis and Spironucleus vortens, both with complex cytoskeletons. Because Giardia is also a widespread intestinal parasite, I am especially interested in the critical role of cytoskeletal dynamics in its parasitic life cycle, including the mechanism of attachment via the ventral disc, a unique spiral microtubule array. Additionally, I am interested in the evolution and ecology of microbial eukaryotes in anoxic environments. My main research areas are: 1. Characterizing the dynamics and the molecular mechanism of suction-based attachment to inert surfaces by the ventral disc of Giardia; 2. Understanding the regulation, function, and evolution of microtubule and flagellar dynamics in Giardia and Spironucleus; 3. Molecular ecology and genomics of uncultivated microbial eukaryotes in anoxic, marine environments.

Laboratory Personnel:
DawsonLab/255 Briggs Hall - Jonny Pham, Kari Hagen, Moises de la Torre, Susan House, Dave Woessner, Michael Cipriano, Emily Grau, Matt Hirakawa, Mastewal Abuhay, Galaxy Mudda, Jessica Morris, Kevin Chu, David Richter

Teaching Interests:


Microbial diversity, Comparative genomics and phylogenetics

Courses Taught:
MIC 105 Bacterial Diversity - Term(s): Winter
MIC 105L Bacterial Diversity Laboratory - Term(s): Winter