Zooming in on the cell biology of disease

Today’s cell biology could be considered a fusion of disciplines that blends advanced genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry, and engineering to answer fundamental as well as medically relevant scientific questions. Accordingly, our understanding of diseases is greatly aided by an existing vast knowledge base of fundamental cell biology. Gunter Blobel captured this concept when he said, “the tremendous acquisition of basic knowledge will allow a much more rational treatment of cancer, viral infection, degenerative disease and mental disease.” In other words, without cell biology can we truly understand, prevent, or effectively treat a disease?