University of Pennsylvania · BiochemistryCenter for Chromosome Dynamics
Ben E. Black · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Research Focus
Dr. Ben E. Black's lab at the University of Pennsylvania focuses on understanding how chromosomes are inherited accurately during cell division. They study the centromeres, which are crucial for the proper segregation of chromosomes, to develop artificial chromosomes with potential medical applications. The lab combines structural biology and innovative genome technologies to tackle significant challenges in genome engineering and improve our understanding of genetics.
centromerechromosome segregationsynthetic chromosomesepigeneticsgenome engineeringMendelian inheritancebiotech applicationscryo-electron tomographychromatin
Research Aims
5AIM 01Investigate the molecular basis of centromere identity.
AIM 02Visualize centromeric chromatin during cell division.
AIM 03Develop synthetic mammalian artificial chromosomes.
AIM 04Understand the epigenetic regulation of centromeres.
AIM 05Enhance techniques for chromosome inheritance in model organisms.
Skills the Lab Values
chromosome visualizationcryogenic electron tomographyDNA constructioncell cycle analysismouse geneticsbiophysical techniqueschromatin analysisgenome editingmolecular cloning
Output against the department
Publications157bottom 45% of dept.223rd of 402
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations11ktop 45% of dept.179th of 402
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.