Assistant Research Professor Tara Finegan studies how the shape and material properties of biological tissues contribute to abnormal function and diseases like cancer. Background art created using the Leica TCS SP8 confocal microscope by postdoctoral fellow Teka Khan, winner of the 2023 ALMC image contest.
Jan. 13, 2025
On Jan. 6, Tara Finegan, assistant research professor in the Division of Biological Sciences, began work as co-director of the University of Missouri Advanced Light Microscopy Core (ALMC). She will take the helm as director when co-director Alexander Jurkevich retires in March.
“Dr. Finegan brings extensive expertise in light imaging technologies and a deep commitment to driving research innovation through state-of-the-art microscopy,” said Chris Lorson, associate vice chancellor for research and strategic initiatives. “We are confident in her ability to lead the ALMC into the next phase of growth and continue to support the evolving needs of the MU research community.”
Finegan joined Mizzou’s faculty in 2023 after establishing the Finegan Bergstralh Laboratory with her husband Dan Bergstralh, associate professor of biological sciences, and completing a doctorate in developmental mechanics at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. She will continue her academic duties and independent research program in addition to leading the ALMC.
“The first time I visited the ALMC for a tour, I felt like a kid in a candy shop,” Finegan said. “Collaboration is my favorite part of research, and one reason I am excited to be taking this position is that it allows me to work with world-class researchers from across the university. I am lucky to be inheriting the position from colleagues who I respect hugely.”
Learn more about Finegan’s research and plans for the future in our Q&A.
Why were you interested in working at Mizzou?
The ALMC was a huge selling point for us. Light imaging is essential to our work, and we were deeply impressed with the facility’s high-quality equipment and staff expertise. Previous ALMC directors Tom Phillips and Alexander Jurkevich have done an amazing job establishing a premier resource for researchers, offering state-of-the-art imaging technologies, expert technical support and a professional and collaborative environment.
I love that the ALMC holds an annual image contest showcasing science performed at the core. As a microscope enthusiast, I was particularly impressed that the image contest posters not only celebrated the beauty of the images but highlighted the technical details of the microscopy behind them.
My husband and I also were deeply impressed by the investments the university is making in research infrastructure and innovation. Mizzou offers a vibrant and collaborative scientific environment and has strong genetics and biological physics communities. The Division of Biological Sciences provided us with an inclusive and supportive base. We also fell in love with Columbia and the excellent quality of life the city affords our family (we have two young children).
Tell us more about your research interests.
Epithelial tissues are the building blocks of animal bodies. Epithelia act as the “walls” between different sections of your body, and mechanically and chemically protect them. The shape of epithelial tissues underlies their function, and therefore disruptions to tissue shape result in abnormal function and disease. Improper shaping of epithelia tissues during development can lead to developmental disorders, and epithelia are the source of carcinomas, the most common form of cancer in adults.
We use approaches from both biology and physics to understand how epithelial tissues are shaped during development, how they maintain their shape in the adult state and what happens when their shape goes wrong. This allows us to reveal the fundamental basis for many disease states, which is necessary for the development of therapeutic interventions.
What sparked your passion for science?
When I was growing up, I had an ambition to become an astrobiologist or veterinarian. I am a first-generation college student so wasn’t familiar with the academic career path. I was lucky enough as a high schooler to attend a biochemistry residential summer camp at Imperial College in London that inspired me to pursue a degree in natural sciences and put research on my radar as a career option.
As an undergraduate, I had the opportunity to spend a summer working in Professor Roger Williams’ lab at the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge. This was a seminal career experience for me; I really fell in love with bench science, and it inspired me to follow my current career path. I have been fortunate to have several supportive mentors throughout my career who have kept me motivated through the highs and lows of research!
How have you used the core for your own work?
Our lab uses the ALMC almost daily. Most of our experiments involve a light microscopy step at some point.
- We use the Leica confocal laser scanning microscopes to image fluorescently stained tissue to investigate the localization of target molecules in epithelial tissues and investigate the consequence of genetic manipulations on model epithelial systems.
- We are using the Leica 3D STED super resolution microscope to investigate the dynamics of single molecule behavior in the process of orienting the direction of daughter cell placement at cell division.
- Our lab worked with the Division of Research and the core to bring the new Andor Dragonfly 602 spinning disk confocal microscope to campus when we came to Mizzou. We use this microscope to perform high-content multiplex imaging of cultured epithelial cell layers to investigate tissue shape at a large scale.
- Our lab also uses the Imaris computational work station in the core to perform advanced 3D image analysis.
What are your goals for the ALMC?
My key goals are to:
- Ensure that the ALMC remains at the forefront of light imaging technology by updating and expanding the light microscopy equipment and supporting staff training.
- Expand training, computational resources and consultation services for image analysis. I have expertise in this field and hope to significantly broaden our consultation and collaborative services in data analysis.
- Expand the training program for users to empower them with the skills necessary to maximize the potential of the facility’s equipment and effectively address individual research needs.
- Strengthen collaborations with Mizzou researchers by enhancing and building personal relationships to facilitate research and actively participate in grant writing to fund new equipment.
- Promote a culture of collaboration, innovation and excellence, where users are encouraged to trial ideas and push the boundaries of what is possible with light imaging.
What is the best way for investigators to reach you?
Email me at tara.finegan@missouri.edu. All of the core staff can be reached at ALMicroscopy@missouri.edu. I encourage investigators to set up a no-cost consultation meeting to discuss how the core can meet their research needs and to discuss sample preparation, imaging equipment and analysis techniques.
Anything else?
Please send me an email if you are interested in joining the newly formed Mizzou Imaging Consortium for researchers who use light and electron microscopy and are interested in sharing expertise and learning more about imaging technologies and analysis.