Centrosome architecture
Contributes to studies of centriole assembly, centrosomal scaffolds, and pericentriolar material.
About
Carey Fagerstrom is the Rusan Lab’s Lab Manager and a biologist with extensive experience in centrosome and cytoskeleton research. She has worked in the lab at NHLBI since July 2011, contributing to studies of organelle assembly, mitosis, neural stem cells, and sperm development.
Her research background includes microtubule dynamics in mammalian cell division and cell motility, together with laboratory management and technical support across multiple model systems.
Expertise
Laboratory management, fluorescence and expansion microscopy, mammalian and insect cell culture, Drosophila husbandry, molecular biology, CRISPR-Cas9 and protein biochemistry
Education & career
2011–present
Lab Manager / Biologist
Rusan Lab · NHLBI, NIH · Guidehouse contractor
2002–2011
Research Fellow, Lab Manager and Technician
University of Massachusetts Amherst · Wadsworth, Jensen, Ross, and Maresca laboratories
2002
M.S. · Molecular and Cellular Biology
University of Massachusetts Amherst · Patricia Wadsworth
1998
B.S. · Biology, summa cum laude
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Research highlights
Cell division and microtubules
Research experience in microtubule dynamics, spindle organization, and motor proteins.
Methods and laboratory operations
Supports genetics, imaging, cell culture, cloning, and biochemical workflows across lab projects.
Publications
- Togaram Ensures Axial Alignment of the Sperm Neck
- A MOPD II-associated Pericentrin variant disrupts PACT domain dimerization and pericentriolar material recruitment.
- Visualizing Drosophila centrioles by expansion microscopy.
- Cep104 is a component of the centriole distal tip complex that regulates centriole growth and contributes to Drosophila spermiogenesis
- Spd-2 gene duplication reveals cell-type-specific pericentriolar material regulation
- The E3 Ligase Poe Promotes Pericentrin Degradation.
- Pericentrin interacts with Kinesin-1 to drive centriole motility.
- Sperm Head-Tail Linkage Requires Restriction of Pericentriolar Material to the Proximal Centriole End
- A molecular mechanism for the procentriole recruitment of Ana2
- Fascetto (PRC1) Interacting Protein (FIP) Ensures Proper Cytokinesis and Ploidy
- The Centrosomin CM2 Domain is a Multi-Functional Binding Domain with Distinct Cell Cycle Roles.
- A centrosome interactome provides insight into organelle assembly and reveals a non-duplication role for Plk4
- Asterless is required for centriole length control and sperm development
- An Asp-CaM complex is required for Centrosome-Pole Cohesion and Centrosome Inheritance in Neural Stem Cells
- Interphase centrosome organization by the PLP-Cnn scaffold is required for centrosome function
- Drosophila Pericentrin requires interaction with Calmodulin for its function at centrosomes and neuronal basal bodies, but not at sperm basal bodies
- Dynamic reorganization of Eg5 in the mammalian spindle throughout mitosis requires dynein and TPX2.
- Poleward transport of TPX2 in the mammalian mitotic spindle requires dynein, Eg5, and microtubule flux.
- Dynein antagonizes eg5 by crosslinking and sliding antiparallel microtubules.
- A conserved role for kinesin-5 in plant mitosis.
- Molecular requirements for kinetochore-associated microtubule formation in mammalian cells.
- Stable expression of fluorescently tagged proteins for studies of mitosis in mammalian cells
- Quantification of microtubule nucleation, growth and dynamics in wound-edge cells.
- Reorganization of the microtubule array in prophase/prometaphase requires cytoplasmic dynein-dependent microtubule transport
- Centrosome reorientation in wound-edge cells is cell type specific.
- Cell cycle-dependent changes in microtubule dynamics in living cells expressing green fluorescent protein-alpha tubulin
Recognition
- 2024 NHLBI Director’s Award for Partnership/Collaboration
- 2020 NHLBI DIR Orloff Science Award
- 2018 Kelly Government Solutions Distinguished Achievement Award
- 1997–1998 Junior Fellow in Life Sciences
- 1997 Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi
Teaching & mentoring
Prepared, taught, and graded cellular and molecular biology laboratory techniques for Biology 297C at the University of Massachusetts Amherst (1998).
Service
Biologist representative on the NHLBI DIR Strategic Advisory Council (2025–present). Co-Chair of the Laboratory Advisory Board and Safety Group (2026–present), following service as Co-Chair of the Laboratory Advisory Board for Science (2025–2026).