The motor driving Penn’s biomedical research

As a kid, Michael Ostapbuilt circuits and motors in the basement of his childhood home. His father, an electrical engineer, encouraged him to explore the jumble of electrical components that covered every surface. "Having that ability to sit and tinker with things drove me to look for opportunities to build and learn and explore," Ostap says.

Since growing up and launching a prolific scientific career, Ostap has spent the last three decades researching different motors-tiny ones, in the human body. His work focuses on molecular motors called myosin, the protein within cells that makes muscles contract. "They really are motors-they use chemical energy to do mechanical work," he said.

During his 27 years at Penn, Ostap has published over 100 papers investigating how molecules such as myosin feel force, in an effort to understand how cellular mutations cause disease. He's enthusiastic about thoughtful, rigorous science, and frequently describes his research and basic scientific processes as "exciting" and "fun." That palpable enthusiasm, in addition to a deep commitment to education and training, made Ostap an ideal candidate to fill the role of interim senior vice dean and chief scientific officer (CSO) of the Perelman School of Medicine (PSOM) earlier this year.

The Ostap Laboratory that he has led since 1997 has made strides in the fundamental science behind how a myosin feels force. By understanding how proteins work, researchers can discover small molecules that could affect other functions in the body. Ostap's lab is currently working on projects related to cardiac function, exploring how mutations in the myosin affect mechanical and biochemical properties of the heart, "which will hopefully lead us to a better understanding of how mutations lead to cardiac disease," he says.

In addition to his research, Ostap has been a champion for highlighting the diverse individuals who make up PSOM's vibrant scientific community. In 2020, Epstein recruited Ostap to serve as a co-chair of the Perelman School of Medicine Portrait Review Committee alongside Marisa Bartolomei, a cell and developmental biology professor. The committee's goal is to improve representation on the walls of the medical school. "Showing the true diversity of the university strengthens our institution and fosters innovation by ensuring that there's a big range of prospective research and life experience-we want to make sure the walls show that," Ostap says.

Read more at Penn Medicine Magazine.