Matt Harrington

Graduate Student Researcher
Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Marine Science

Education

B.A. Biology, University of Delaware, 2002

Contact Information

Phone: (805) 893-5787
Email: mjh@umail.ucsb.edu

Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Marine Science
University of California
Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9612

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Area of Research

I study the byssal threads of Mytilus californianus, which are the extracellular, robust tethers that secure mussels to hard surfaces allowing them to survive life in the harsh rocky intertidal zone. Particularly, I am investigating the mechanism by which the liquid crystal, collagen-like protein precursors of the thread self-assemble and lock into place during the thread formation process, which occurs in under five minutes.