Carter M Takacs, Ph.D

Carter Takacs is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medical Sciences at the Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine. His research employs animal models to understand how gene regulation directs embryonic development. Takacs completed his undergraduate degree at the University at Albany in cultural anthropology with a minor in religious studies. After a hiatus, he returned to school to study ecology, but such plans were foiled by a course in introductory cell biology. Driven by a newfound interest in gene regulation and its intimate connection to biological form, Takacs pivoted towards molecular biology and never looked back. His doctoral work revealed a novel role for the tumor suppressor gene APC in regulating cell signaling in the fruit fly. His postdoctoral work examined genetic regulatory mechanisms operating in the early embryo using zebrafish as a model. His own lab couples gene perturbation with transcriptome analysis to further explore the genetic basis of embryonic development. At every stage, this work seeks to inform our understanding of human health and disease. Dr. Takacs now shares his knowledge and experience in molecular genetics and developmental biology in service to the Netter student body.