Long-distance transport in cells is driven by molecular motors that ferry cargoes along microtubule tracks.  In general, kinesin motors move to the plus-ends of microtubules and thus carry cargoes to the cell periphery whereas cyoplasmic dynein move to the minus-ends of microtubules and thus carry cargoes back to the cell center.  Using a variety of cell biological, biochemical and biophysical techniques, our lab studies how kinesin motors drive membrane trafficking events in mammalian cells.