The cell nucleus is positioned by  molecular motors, a process that is essential for brain and muscle development. Human disease mutations of associated proteins cause severe neuromuscular diseases, including spinal muscular atrophy, the most common genetic cause of death in infants. Our lab combines cutting edge techniques from structural biology, biophysics, biochemistry and cell biology to establish the mechanism for nuclear positioning as well as the underlying causes for associated neuromuscular diseases. Our research is funded by the National Institute of Health grant R01 GM144578.