University of Wisconsin–Madison
Rachel Turn, PhD

Rachel Turn, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Comparative Biosciences

turn@wisc.edu

2015 Linden Dr
Madison, WI 53706

Rachel Turn, PhD

Research Interests

Our research is driven by a fundamental question: what defines G0? Nearly every cell exits the cell cycle either as a quiescent, stem-like cell poised for activation or as a terminally differentiated cell with specialized function, yet the signaling mechanisms that govern cell cycle exit and fate commitment (and whether a universal G0 checkpoint exists) remain unclear.

We have identified precise spatiotemporal regulation of signaling as a central determinant of the G0 program. Using STAMP (Synchronized Temporal-Spatial Analysis via Microscopy and Proteomics), which integrates advanced imaging with time-resolved proteomics and phosphoproteomics in synchronized mammalian systems, we map signaling dynamics with high resolution in time and space. We leverage the ordered assembly of the primary cilium (aquiescence-specific, GPCR-enriched signaling organelle) as a molecular framework to define transient and spatially restricted signaling events that help us keep track of the stages of cell cycle exit and fate transitions.

By defining how signaling networks establish and maintain G0, our work provides a mechanistic foundation for understanding how pharmacologic, genetic, and environmental perturbations modulate cell fate decisions. This framework positions our research to inform molecular and cellular pharmacology by identifying signaling nodes and pathways that can be targeted to restore quiescence, enhance regeneration, or limit pathological proliferation.

Recent Publications

  1. Aziz-Zanjani MO, Turn RE, Hang Y, Asthana A, LaBrie LE, Mobedi M, Xu LA, Krawitzky M, Kim SK, Jackson PK. Metabolic STAMP for deciphering GPCR-regulated insulin secretion by pancreatic β cells. bioRxiv. 2026 Jul 12;. doi: 10.1101/2025.10.03.680349. PubMed PMID: 41256453; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC12621840.
  2. Turn RE, Aziz-Zanjani MO, Asthana A, Jackson PK. Strategies for multimodal spatiotemporal profiling of phosphorylation in cilia biology. J Cell Sci. 2025 Oct 15;138(20). doi: 10.1242/jcs.264159. Epub 2025 Oct 31. Review. PubMed PMID: 41171145; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC12916056.
  3. Turn RE, Dacks JB, Rosenberg EM Jr, Soubias O, Northup JK, Randazzo PA. ARF: the most misunderstood GTPase I ever knew – why study ARF GAPs. Front Mol Biosci. 2025;12:1668286. doi: 10.3389/fmolb.2025.1668286. eCollection 2025. Review. PubMed PMID: 41158876; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC12554972.
  4. Turn RE, Hilgendorf KI, Johnson CT, Han K, Aziz-Zanjani MO, Swails Bollinger S, Domizi P, Cheng R, Rabiee A, Zhu Y, Jiang Z, Asthana A, Demeter J, Svensson KJ, Bassik MC, Jackson PK. A genome-wide, CRISPR-based screen reveals new requirements for translation initiation and ubiquitination in driving adipogenic fate change. Genes Dev. 2025 Oct 1;39(19-20):1241-1264. doi: 10.1101/gad.352779.125. PubMed PMID: 40675820; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC12487700.
  5. Azizzanjani MO, Turn RE, Asthana A, Linde-Garelli KY, Xu LA, Labrie LE, Mobedi M, Jackson PK. Synchronized temporal-spatial analysis via microscopy and phosphoproteomics (STAMP) of quiescence. Sci Adv. 2025 Apr 25;11(17):eadt9712. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adt9712. Epub 2025 Apr 25. PubMed PMID: 40279433; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC12024681.
  6. Kahn RA, Virk H, Laflamme C, Houston DW, Polinski NK, Meijers R, Levey AI, Saper CB, Errington TM, Turn RE, Bandrowski A, Trimmer JS, Rego M, Freedman LP, Ferrara F, Bradbury ARM, Cable H, Longworth S. Antibody characterization is critical to enhance reproducibility in biomedical research. Elife. 2024 Aug 14;13. doi: 10.7554/eLife.100211. Review. PubMed PMID: 39140332; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC11324233.
  7. Wu CT, Lidsky PV, Xiao Y, Cheng R, Lee IT, Nakayama T, Jiang S, He W, Demeter J, Knight MG, Turn RE, Rojas-Hernandez LS, Ye C, Chiem K, Shon J, Martinez-Sobrido L, Bertozzi CR, Nolan GP, Nayak JV, Milla C, Andino R, Jackson PK. SARS-CoV-2 replication in airway epithelia requires motile cilia and microvillar reprogramming. Cell. 2023 Jan 5;186(1):112-130.e20. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.11.030. Epub 2022 Dec 2. PubMed PMID: 36580912; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9715480.
  8. Turn RE, Hu Y, Dewees SI, Devi N, East MP, Hardin KR, Khatib T, Linnert J, Wolfrum U, Lim MJ, Casanova JE, Caspary T, Kahn RA. The ARF GAPs ELMOD1 and ELMOD3 act at the Golgi and cilia to regulate ciliogenesis and ciliary protein traffic. Mol Biol Cell. 2022 Jun 1;33(7):cor1. doi: 10.1091/mbc.E21-09-0443_corr. PubMed PMID: 35612986; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9561853.
  9. Dewees SI, Vargová R, Hardin KR, Turn RE, Devi S, Linnert J, Wolfrum U, Caspary T, Eliáš M, Kahn RA. Phylogenetic profiling and cellular analyses of ARL16 reveal roles in traffic of IFT140 and INPP5E. Mol Biol Cell. 2022 Apr 1;33(4):ar33. doi: 10.1091/mbc.E21-10-0509-T. Epub 2022 Feb 23. PubMed PMID: 35196065; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9250359.
  10. Turn RE, Hu Y, Dewees SI, Devi N, East MP, Hardin KR, Khatib T, Linnert J, Wolfrum U, Lim MJ, Casanova JE, Caspary T, Kahn RA. The ARF GAPs ELMOD1 and ELMOD3 act at the Golgi and cilia to regulate ciliogenesis and ciliary protein traffic. Mol Biol Cell. 2022 Feb 1;33(2):ar13. doi: 10.1091/mbc.E21-09-0443. Epub 2021 Nov 24. PubMed PMID: 34818063; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9236152.
  11. Turn RE, Linnert J, Gigante ED, Wolfrum U, Caspary T, Kahn RA. Roles for ELMOD2 and Rootletin in ciliogenesis. Mol Biol Cell. 2021 Apr 15;32(8):800-822. doi: 10.1091/mbc.E20-10-0635. Epub 2021 Feb 17. PubMed PMID: 33596093; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8108518.
  12. Turn RE, East MP, Prekeris R, Kahn RA. The ARF GAP ELMOD2 acts with different GTPases to regulate centrosomal microtubule nucleation and cytokinesis. Mol Biol Cell. 2020 Aug 15;31(18):2070-2091. doi: 10.1091/mbc.E20-01-0012. Epub 2020 Jul 2. PubMed PMID: 32614697; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7543072.
  13. Schiavon CR, Turn RE, Newman LE, Kahn RA. ELMOD2 regulates mitochondrial fusion in a mitofusin-dependent manner, downstream of ARL2. Mol Biol Cell. 2019 May 1;30(10):1198-1213. doi: 10.1091/mbc.E18-12-0804. Epub 2019 Mar 13. PubMed PMID: 30865555; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6724520.
  14. Turn RE, D’Souza RS, Wall AA. Meeting report-Small GTPases in membrane processes: FASEB summer research conference. Traffic. 2019 Mar;20(3):259-262. doi: 10.1111/tra.12633. Epub 2019 Feb 4. PubMed PMID: 30666771.
  15. Newman LE, Schiavon CR, Turn RE, Kahn RA. The ARL2 GTPase regulates mitochondrial fusion from the intermembrane space. Cell Logist. 2017;7(3):e1340104. doi: 10.1080/21592799.2017.1340104. eCollection 2017. PubMed PMID: 28944094; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5602422.
  16. Francis JW, Turn RE, Newman LE, Schiavon C, Kahn RA. Higher order signaling: ARL2 as regulator of both mitochondrial fusion and microtubule dynamics allows integration of 2 essential cell functions. Small GTPases. 2016 Oct;7(4):188-196. doi: 10.1080/21541248.2016.1211069. Epub 2016 Jul 11. Review. PubMed PMID: 27400436; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5129891.
  17. Zhang H, Sturchler E, Zhu J, Nieto A, Cistrone PA, Xie J, He L, Yea K, Jones T, Turn R, Di Stefano PS, Griffin PR, Dawson PE, McDonald PH, Lerner RA. Autocrine selection of a GLP-1R G-protein biased agonist with potent antidiabetic effects. Nat Commun. 2015 Dec 1;6:8918. doi: 10.1038/ncomms9918. PubMed PMID: 26621478; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4686834.