The Centrosome (PDF)

Heide Schatten is Professor at the University of Missouri, Columbia, USA.  She is a cell biologist with research focused on cytoskeletal regulation in various cell systems and on cytoskeletal dysfunctions of the centrosome-microtubule complex that play a role in disease such as cancer and in disorders such as infertility and other reproductive disorders. 

She received her M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the Karl-Ruprecht University in Heidelberg, Germany, and performed her Ph.D. research studies at the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg. She performed pre-and postdoctoral studies with Professor Daniel Mazia at the University of California, Berkeley, who introduced her to the fascinating field of centrosome biology and generated unlimited enthusiasm for centrosome research that she pursued in collaborations with Daniel Mazia and numerous colleagues in cell, molecular, and reproductive biology in the USA, Europe, China, and Latin America. She has given numerous presentations in these and other countries. Her studies also included collaborations with NASA scientists and experiments aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour to examine the effects of spaceflight on centrosome-cytoskeletal regulation during development.

Her publications include cellular and molecular biology, cancer biology, reproductive biology, microbiology, space biology, and advanced imaging methods including novel imaging techniques that she employed in close collaborations with Professor Hans Ris at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to analyze cellular structures in their three-dimensional network. She is a member of the American Society for Cell Biology, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and Microscopy Society of America. She has received numerous awards including grant awards from NASA, NIH, and NSF.  She has published over 190 papers, 7 book chapters and edited several special topics journal issues and 8 books with several more inprogress.

From the reviews:

“This book is a perfect introduction to the field of centrosome research as well as an excellent reference for those interested in the functions of the centrosome in the cell. … The chapters are written by experts in their respective areas, which results in a high level of knowledge and detail. This is an excellent introduction for investigators entering the field of centrosome research as well as a good reference for researchers already in the field.” (Ruben Mestril, Doody’s Book Reviews, June, 2013)