Vassar College Biology : Nancy J. Pokrywka

Nancy J. Pokrywka

Associate Professor of Biology

Olmsted Hall Room 323
Phone: 845-437-7429
Fax 845-437-7315

B.S. 1987 Biology, Stonehill College
M.S. 1989. Biology, University of Rochester
Ph.D. 1992 . Biology, University of Rochester

Research Interests

A major question in developmental biology is how a complex multicellular organism arises from a single egg. For most developing organisms, the process is initiated by first making very simple developmental decisions (such as deciding which end of the embryo will become the head). In the fruit fly Drosophila, the basic body pattern of the embryo is determined by the organization of the unfertilized egg. My lab is very interested in the means by which eggs become organized, and how the egg is constructed so as to support development. We are studying the role of a gene called mini spindles in oogenesis. Mini spindles encodes a protein that appears to be necessary for organizing and regulating microtubules. Research in the lab uses a variety of genetic and cell biology techniques, including antibody staining, fluorescence microscopy, genetic analysis, and computer image acquisition and analysis.

Teaching Interests

Introductory Biology, Genetic Engineering (in the STS program), Developmental Biology, Genetics, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology

Selected Publications

Pokrywka, N.J., L. Meng, *K. Debiec, and E.C. Stephenson. (2004). Identification of hypomorphic and null alleles of swallow via molecular and phenotypic analyses. Dev. Genes Evol. 214:185-192.
Pokrywka, N.J., *L. Fishbein, and *J. Frederick (2000). New phenotypes associated with the swallow gene of Drosophila: Evidence for a general role in oocyte cytoskeletal organization. Dev. Genes Evol. 210:426-435.
Huang, Z., N.J.,Pokrywka, J.H. Yoder, and E.C. Stephenson. (2000). Analysis of a swallow homologue from Drosophila pseudoobscura. Dev. Genes Evol. 210:157-161.
Pokrywka, N.J. and D.S. Goldfarb, (1995). Nuclear export pathways of tRNA and 40S ribosomes include both common and specific intermediates. J. Biol. Chem. 270: 3619-3624.
Pokrywka, N.J., and E.C. Stephenson (1995). Microtubules are a general component of mRNA localization systems in Drosophila oocytes. Dev. Biol. 167: 363-370.

* student author