Waterman has made fundamental advances in the understanding of the molecular and biophysical basis of cellular motility and migration. Such events are of critical importance in development (mainly in the vascular and nervous systems), the immune response and wound healing, embryogenesis, as well as in metastatic cancer. Dr. Waterman’s past work consists of novel findings related to the development of experimental approaches, and the cytoskeletal elements of a cell, including microtubules and actin, integrin adhesion molecules, and the extracellular matrix.[1][3] Waterman invented Fluorescent Speckle Microscopy (FSM) which is used to understand the self-organization of proteins at the cellular level. This invention has helped researchers develop an idea of how the self-organization of macromolecule proteins can drive cell shape and mobility.[3] At the NHLBI, Waterman leads the Cell and Tissue Morphodynamics laboratory, where she works alongside cell biologists, physicists, mathematicians, engineers, and mouse geneticists [4][5] Waterman has also authored and coauthored more than 90 papers.[5]
