Email: portico-services@ucl.ac.uk
Help Desk: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/ras/portico/helpdesk
- Associate Professor
- Lab for Molecular Cell Bio MRC-UCL
- Faculty of Life Sciences
Academic background includes:
1987 BSc (joint honours, first class) Chemistry and Biochemistry
Imperial College, London
1991 PhD, Cell Biology, Imperial College, London
1991-1996 (Dec) Human Frontiers postdoctoral fellowship and American Cancer Society senior postdoctoral fellowship, University of California, San Francisco, USA
1997 Scientist, The Randall Institute, Kings College, London, UK
1997 Wellcome Trust Career Development Award
1998-2001 Group leader and Royal Society University Research Fellow: MRC-Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, UCL, affiliated with Kings College, London
2001-2008 Group leader and Royal Society University Research Fellow: MRC-Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, UCL
2008-current Group leader: Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology: dept. of LMCB, division of Biosciences from 2007; dept. and division of LMCB, from 2014
2001 Royal Society URF competitively renewed to 2006
2002-2003 1 year maternity leave
2003-2005 Returned to work part-time (variable % FTE)
2004 Royal Society URF competitively renewed to 2008
2005-2006 1 year maternity leave
2006 (Nov) – current Returned to work part-time (70% FTE)




The Cramer lab studies cytoskeleton mechanisms in cell polarity and cell migration. Cell migration is essential for life; required throughout embryo development, and for tissue repair and immunity in both the embryo and the adult. It also contributes to several important diseases, including inflammatory diseases, mental retardation and the spread of cancer. Determining molecular mechanisms controlling cell migration thus promises to provide effective therapeutic strategies for treating disease. The Cramer lab studies how migrating cells reach new territory and how they polarize to activate motility, focusing on activity of actin filament and myosin II proteins that drive these processes. We recently discovered a new mechanism of cell migration – where motility is initiated from the cell rear instead of the cell front. We also recently identified a new process where actin filament disassembly drives cell rear retraction.
Dr. Louise Cramer is Cell Biology Tutor for the Cell Biology Stream of the MRes Biosciences masters programme (for division of Biosciences, faculty of Life Sciences). Louise is also developing a new MSc in Molecular Cell Biology (for division of MRC-Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, faculty of Life Sciences). She also teaches on several second and third year undergraduate modules within the faculty of Life Science and hosts undergraduate project and masters students at the MRC-LMCB. She also organizes and teaches part of the taught element of the MRC-LMCB PhD 4-year programme. Louise is chair of the equipment committee and responsible for teaching on the graduate programme committee (division of MRC-LMCB) and on the teaching committee for MRes Biosciences (division of Biosciences).
1990 | Doctor of Philosophy | Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine | |
1987 | Bachelor of Science (Honours) | Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine |