Harvard University · BiologyCell Membrane Transport Lab
Tom A Rapoport · Cambridge, Massachusetts
Research Focus
Dr. Tom A. Rapoport's lab focuses on understanding how proteins are transported across cellular membranes, particularly from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to other parts of the cell, or to be degraded. The lab investigates processes like misfolded protein degradation and how proteins are imported into organelles such as peroxisomes. Their research is crucial for addressing diseases linked to protein misfolding, like cystic fibrosis and Zellweger syndrome, and aims to uncover new therapeutic approaches.
protein transportprotein degradationendoplasmic reticulumperoxisomesmisfolded proteinsubiquitinationdisease mechanismscell biologycryo-electron microscopy
Research Aims
4AIM 01Clarify how misfolded proteins are retro-translocated from the ER into the cytosol.
AIM 02Determine the mechanism of substrate movement from the ER membrane to the proteasome.
AIM 03Investigate how proteins are imported into peroxisomes.
AIM 04Test the recycling process of receptors back into the cytosol.
Skills the Lab Values
cryo-electron microscopyprotein purificationWestern blotcell culturemolecular cloningbiochemical assaysATPase activity assaysgenetic engineeringlive-cell imaging
Output against the department
Publications415top 11% of dept.115th of 1,033
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations42ktop 6% of dept.65th of 1,033
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.