Through this research it was his goal to identify the cause behind certain properties of the cytoskeleton including length, distribution, and the location of each type of filament and microtubule.
[6] Tilney also conducted research focused on Toxoplasma gondii and how its invasive stages acted in an actin-dependent fashion.
Following the introduction of Jasplakinolide, it was observed that the actin-binding protein myosin connected to the newly formed polymer which confirmed its identity to be actin.
[7] Later research went on to show how protease inhibitors including cysteine and serine can modify the post-translational modifications in the processing of secretory proteins in the parasite.
[3] He was elected alongside three other scientists in the field of cellular biology including Michael Levine, Lelio Orci, and Joan Ruderman.