Ahna Skop
Position title: Professor
Email: skop@wisc.edu
Phone: 608-262-1593
Address:
Genetics, Medical Genetics
Affiliate appointments in Life Science Communication and Art
Newly appreciated signaling organelle called the midbody (MB) and the midbody remnant (MBR)
- Address
- 2426 Genetics/Biotech
- Education
- Ph.D. (2000) University of Wisconsin-Madison, Postdoctoral Research: HHMI, UC-Berkeley, 2000-2004, Sabbatical: Fred Hutch Cancer Center (Spring 2022)
- Lab Website
- http://skoplab.weebly.com/
- Department
- Genetics, Medical Genetics
- Research Areas
- Cell division and cytokinesis, Midbody and midbody remnant (MBR) biology, Disease mechanisms (cancer, neurodegeneration, autism), RNA biology and extracellular vesicle signaling, Science communication and art-science integration
- Research Fields
- Disease Biology, Cell Biology, Development, Gene Expression, Genomics and Proteomics, Humans
- Schedule a chat with Ahna
- https://calendly.com/skop
Dr. Ahna Skop is a Professor of Genetics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, with additional roles in Life Sciences Communication and the Arts Institute. Her laboratory explores the molecular mechanisms of cell division, with a special focus on the midbody and midbody remnants (MBRs)—unique, RNA-rich structures produced during mitosis. The Skop Lab’s research has shown that these organelles, once thought to be cellular waste, are active in translation and play important roles in intercellular communication, especially in rapidly dividing cells like those in cancer.
Current research projects in the lab include identifying the RNA cargo of midbody remnants in various cell types and investigating their roles in cancer progression and neurodevelopmental disorders. The lab uses a multidisciplinary approach, combining genetics, cell biology, genomics, proteomics, and advanced microscopy. Ahna is also the CSO of a Madison biotech company (eMBR genomics) based on discoveries from her lab that utilizes MBRs in cancer and neurodegenerative disease diagnostics.
Dr. Skop is also widely recognized for her work in scientific outreach, diversity in STEM, and the integration of science and art. She has curated scientific art exhibitions and has authored several books including ‘Genetic Reflections: A coloring book” and “Lab Culture: A recipe for innovation in science”, reflecting her commitment to science communication and public engagement with science
Representative Publications:
Search PubMed for a publications by Ahna Skop
Park S, Dahn R, Kurt E, Presle A, VanDenHeuvel K, Moravec C, Jambhekar A, Olukoga O, Shepherd J, Echard A, Blower M, Skop AR. The mammalian midbody and midbody remnant are assembly sites for RNA and localized translation. Dev Cell. 2023 Oct 9;58(19):1917-1932.e6. doi: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.07.009. Epub 2023 Aug 7. PMID: 37552987; PMCID: PMC10592306.
Jung GI, Londoño-Vásquez D, Park S, Skop AR, Balboula AZ, Schindler K. An oocyte meiotic midbody cap is required for developmental competence in mice. Nat Commun. 2023 Nov 16;14(1):7419. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-43288-x. PMID: 37973997; PMCID: PMC10654508.
Park S, Patel SA, Torr EE, Dureke AN, McIntyre AM, Skop AR. A protocol for isolating and imaging large extracellular vesicles or midbody remnants from mammalian cell culture. STAR Protoc. 2023 Dec 15;4(4):102562. doi: 10.1016/j.xpro.2023.102562. Epub 2023 Sep 9. PMID: 37690025; PMCID: PMC10500451.