The American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) has elected Dan Starr, professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, as a 2026 ASCB Fellow.

Starr is one of 15 scientists elected this year in recognition of exceptional contributions to cell biology and the society. ASCB Fellows are selected by their peers and approved by the ASCB Council, recognizing careers distinguished by scientific excellence, leadership and service to the cell biology community.

Starr studies how cells organize their internal structures, with a particular focus on how nuclei and other organelles move to and remain in the correct locations. These processes are fundamental to the development and function of tissues, and defects in nuclear positioning have been associated with developmental disorders and diseases including muscular dystrophy.

Using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism, Starr and his lab combine imaging, genetics, biochemistry and molecular biology to uncover the mechanisms that organize the interior of cells. Their work examines how nuclei migrate through crowded cellular environments, how they become anchored once they reach their destinations, and how proteins and other cellular components contribute to the physical organization of the cell.

By studying these processes in living animals, Starr's research bridges developmental genetics, cell biology and cellular biophysics. His work has helped researchers better understand how the organization and physical properties of cells influence development and disease. His research has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health since 2006, and in 2020, Starr was named an Allen Distinguished Investigator by the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation.

Understanding How Cells Organize Themselves

A longstanding focus of Starr's research is nuclear positioning. During development, nuclei often must travel considerable distances within cells, sometimes deforming to squeeze through narrow spaces before becoming anchored in a precise location. Despite the importance of these movements, many of the molecular mechanisms responsible for positioning nuclei and other organelles remain poorly understood.

Starr and his colleagues use genetic mutations in C. elegans to identify proteins involved in these processes and determine how disruptions to internal cellular organization affect cells and developing tissues. This work has contributed to a broader understanding of the machinery that physically connects structures inside cells and helps maintain cellular architecture.

His research also explores the physical environment surrounding those structures. For the past six years, Starr has pursued this work in close collaboration with G.W. Gant Luxton, an associate adjunct professor of molecular and cellular biology. Since 2020, the two have jointly led the Starr-Luxton Lab, investigating how the physical properties of cells influence cellular organization and function.

Cells are densely packed with proteins, ribosomes and other molecules, and the Starr-Luxton Lab investigates how this crowded environment influences the movement and interaction of cellular components. Together, these lines of research seek to explain how cells establish and maintain their internal organization and how failures in those systems can contribute to disease.

Research Leadership and Mentorship

Starr joined UC Davis in 2003 and has also played a significant role in research leadership and mentorship across the College of Biological Sciences. Since 2023, he has served as the college's associate dean of research, working with faculty, department chairs, center directors and college leadership to strengthen interdisciplinary research, support faculty recruitment and retention, and expand research opportunities.

He has also been a driving force behind the NIH-funded Post-Baccalaureate Research Education Program at UC Davis, which provides research experiences and professional development to prepare students for doctoral programs in the biomedical sciences.

The ASCB Fellows designation recognizes scientists whose careers have made significant contributions not only through research, but also through leadership, mentorship and service to the broader cell biology community.

Starr is the fourth UC Davis scientist to be named an ASCB Fellow, following Distinguished Professor and College of Biological Sciences Dean Mark Winey, Distinguished Professor Emeritus Jodi Nunnari and Distinguished Professor Emeritus Jon Scholey.

“I am so honored to be on a list with these three scientific heroes of mine,” Starr said.

Starr and the other 2026 ASCB Fellows will be formally recognized at Cell Bio 2026, the joint meeting of ASCB and the European Molecular Biology Organization, taking place this December in San Diego.