Anupama Seshan

Associate Professor of Biology

In this age of information overload, students are bombarded by facts at their fingertips. In the classroom and in the laboratory, I emphasize a problem-solving approach and seek to develop students' abilities to pose testable hypotheses and to solve problems on their own. I see this as central to success outside of the classroom. Introducing students to the excitement of obtaining interesting and unexpected results is also the most gratifying part of being a scientist educator.

What I Love About Emmanuel: 

Students here are very engaged in service - something I truly admire and aspire to. Also, our faculty and administrators feel strongly about creating a rich community, and are so giving of their time to colleagues and students alike. Working at Emmanuel is not a job, but rather a way of life.

Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology; B.A., Cornell University; Post-doctoral work (research), UCSF; Post-doctoral work (teaching), Harvard Medical School

  • BIOL1105 Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Biology
  • BIOL1106 Introduction to Organismic and Evolutionary Biology
  • BIOL2301 Experimental Biology
  • BIOL3135 Cancer Biology
  • Pike A, Pietryski C*, Deighan P, Kuehner J, Lau D, Seshan A, March PE. (2024) A simple, robust, broadly applicable insertion mutagenesis method to create random fluorescent protein: target protein fusions. G3. 14(5), 1 - 8. 
  • Seshan A. (2022) Launching the Community Learning and Inclusivity Partnership (CLIP) Program at Emmanuel College. TLTHE. February 01; 1(35):2 
  • Vannini M*, Mingione VR*, Meyer A*, Sniffen C*, Whalen J*, Seshan A. (2021) A Novel Hyperactive Nud1 Mitotic Exit Scaffold Causes Spindle Position Checkpoint Bypass in Budding Yeast. Cells. 11, 46.
  • Whalen J*, Sniffen C*, Gartland S*, Vannini M*, Seshan A. (2018) Budding yeast BFA1 has multiple positive roles in directing late mitotic events. G3. 8, 3397 – 3410.
  • Falk JE, Campbell IW, Joyce K*, Whalen J*, Seshan A, Amon A. (2016) LTE1 promotes exit from mitosis by multiple mechanisms. Mol. Biol. Cell. 27, 3991 – 4001.
  • McCullagh E, Seshan A, El-Samad H, and Madhani HD. (2010) Coordinate control of gene expression noise and interchromosomal interactions in a MAP kinase pathway. Nat. Cell Biol. 10, 929-931.
  • Seshan A and A. Amon. (2005) Ras and the Rho effector Cla4 collaborate to target and anchor Lte1 at the bud cortex. Cell Cycle. 7, 940-946.
  • Seshan A and Amon A. (2003) Linked for life: temporal and spatial coordination of late mitotic events. Curr. Opin. Cell. Biol. 16, 41-48.
  • Seshan A, Bardin AJ, and Amon A. (2002) Control of Lte1 Localization by Cell Polarity Determinants and Cdc14. Curr. Biol. 12, 2098-2110.

A * denotes Emmanuel College undergraduate author

  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute Inclusive Excellence 3 Grant Program Director  (2022- 2028)
  • Faculty Excellence in Teaching Awardee, Emmanuel College (2021)
  • Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (2005 – 2008)
  • National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship (2000 – 2003)

My wet-lab research interest focuses on understanding cell division using baker's yeast as a model system. Specifically, my goal is to elucidate error-correction mechanisms in this process that exist in cells. My students and I particularly enjoy visualizing proteins that sense cell division errors within yeast cells using the green fluorescent protein and microscopy. We are currently engaged in studying the roles of two proteins - Lte1 and Tem1. These proteins are both part of a Ras-like signaling cascade called the Mitotic Exit Network (MEN). Using a combination of genetics, cell biology, and molecular biology, we are uncovering novel roles for these proteins in mitotic exit. The exit from mitosis is the transition that dividing cells make from mitosis into G1. Several components of the MEN pathway are conserved from yeast to human cells. We hope to understand the various mechanisms by which eukaryotic cells maintain the fidelity of cell division and thereby prevent the development of cancer.

I am also engaged in pedagogical research to understand the experiences of students with historically marginalized identities (HMI) in STEM. My research in this area is student-led. We seek to identify barriers to success and factors that increase success in our Biology program for HMI students and to communicate these to faculty with the goal of broadening participation in the Biology program.