Samara Reck-Peterson, PhD

Overview

Dr. Reck-Peterson is a mechanistic cell biologist whose research focuses on how cellular contents are organized. Her lab has revealed how the molecular motor dynein works and is currently investigating the molecular basis of Parkinson’s Disease. Dr. Reck-Peterson is passionate about training and mentoring the next generation of scientists and making cutting-edge technology available to the broader research community.

Highlights

1
Cell · 2023
SRSamara Reck-Peterson
PMID: 37295401PMCID: PMC10467349DOISenior author39 citations
2
Nature cell biology · 2020
SRSamara Reck-Peterson
PMID: 32341549PMCID: PMC7271980DOISenior author88 citations
3
Nature structural & molecular biology · 2022
SRSamara Reck-Peterson
PMID: 36510024PMCID: PMC9758056DOISenior author40 citations

Publications

73

Funding

9 View NIH portfolio on RePORTER ↗

Active

4 grants

PI
Mechanisms of microtubule-based transport
National Institute of General Medical Sciences · 2025–2027
R35GM141825-06
Co-I
Developing LRRK2 WD40 binders
Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research · 2025–2027 · via University of Dundee
41244o
Co-I
Developing LRRK2-specific Type 2 inhibitors
Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research · 2025–2027 · via University of Dundee
41244m
Sub-PI
Developing inhibitors of LRRK2's GTPase
Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research · 2025–2026 · via University of California, San Francisco
41244m

Completed grants (5)

PI
Cellular control of microtubule-based transport.
NIGMS · 2017–2022 · via NIH RePORTER
R01GM121772-04
PI
Regulation of Cytoplasmic Dynein
NIGMS · 2014–2018 · via NIH RePORTER
R01GM107214-05
PI
Dissecting dynein motor function using DNA nanotechnology
NIGMS · 2013–2016 · via NIH RePORTER
R01GM100947-05
PI
Cellular Control of Microtubule-Based Transport: Unraveling its Molecular Mechan
OD · 2008–2013 · via NIH RePORTER
DP2OD004268-01
PI
Molecular Dissection of Cytoplasmic Dynein
NIGMS · 2003–2005 · via NIH RePORTER
F32GM067403-03

Honors & distinctions

1

Investigator · Howard Hughes Medical Institute · 2018

News mentions

2 View all WCM news ↗

Molecular Structures Provide Roadmap for Targeted Parkinson’s Disease Therapeutics
August 10, 2026
Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine have uncovered how a key Parkinson's protein called LRRK2 shifts between inactive and active forms, revealing the structural changes that enable certain mutations to push the protein into an overactive state.
Dr. Samara Reck-Peterson Named Chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at Weill Cornell Medicine
January 31, 2025
The newly configured department marshals biochemists, biophysicists and experts in protein engineering and imaging to drive discoveries in the basic mechanisms of cell function.

Media highlights

1

Weill Cornell Maps Parkinson's Protein Switch To Guide Targeted Drug Design
FingerLakes1.com · August 13, 2026