Molecular and evolutionary cell biology
This theme examines the molecular mechanisms and evolutionary processes shaping prokaryotic and eukaryotic life. This field integrates molecular biology, genetics, and evolutionary theory to study how cells function, adapt, and evolve over time. Researchers explore cellular processes such as cell division, genome replication, phage defense, gene regulation, metabolism, and cell signaling, as well as host-pathogen interactions. By analyzing cells of many kinds, key insights are gained into fundamental biological principles, evolutionary innovation, and the molecular basis of health and disease in diverse organisms.
''All cells are defined by membranes. The Bokinsky Lab explores how bacteria maintain membrane fluidity and coordinate membrane assembly with growth. We combine mass spectrometry, live-cell imaging and metabolic modelling to uncover the metabolic mechanisms underlying this essential aspect of cellular life.''
Keywords: Fatty acid biosynthesis/Membrane homeostasis/Phospholipid biosynthesis/Metabolic regulation
''Our research focuses on virus defense mechanisms of bacteria, such as CRISPR-Cas and innate immune systems. Through a combination of bioinformatics and advanced experimental methods, we uncover novel defense mechanisms and strive to comprehend their molecular mechanisms. Additionally, we engineer phages capable of evading bacterial defenses for therapeutic purposes.''
Keywords: CRISPR-Cas/Innate phage defense/Antibiotic resistant bacteria/Bacteriophage therapy
The Dogterom lab investigates the mechanics of cytoskeletal structures, particularly microtubules, to understand how cells organize, divide, and shape themselves. By combining biophysics, molecular biology, and advanced imaging, the lab explores cellular force generation and microtubule dynamics, offering key insights into cell structure, mechanics, and mitotic processes critical for development and disease.
The Jakobi lab investigates the structural biology of large molecular assemblies involved in selective autophagy. Using cryo-electron microscopy and computational modeling, the lab aims to uncover the architecture and mechanisms of protein complexes that mediate cargo recognition and degradation. These insights provide a deeper understanding of cellular quality control and disease mechanisms.
''We investigate how evolutionary robustness emerges from a complex network of molecular interactions, while focusing on cell polarity in budding yeast. We combine minimal in vitro systems with live cell microscopy, experimental evolution, and modeling. In parallel we develop (machine learning) methods to predict evolution from experimentally determined fitness landscapes.''
Keywords: Cell polarity/Protein pattern formation/Evolutionary robustness/Predicting evolution
''Our laboratory is committed to understanding how neurons form networks, and the molecular recognition code that underlies this process. We employ a multidisciplinary approach, combining structural biology, protein biochemistry and cell biology, to unravel the fundamental principles of molecular recognition at the synapse. We apply our knowledge of healthy brain development to also gain insights into the molecular events occurring in neurodegenerative diseases.''
Keywords: Neurobiology/Synapse formation/Molecular recognition code/Neurodegenerative diseases
The Rowland group studies the mechanisms that shape our genome in interphase and mitosis. We use imaging to visualize nuclear organization and cell division. With live-cell imaging, we capture the dynamics of DNA-shaping SMC motors such as cohesin and condensin.'
''The Tanenbaum group employs live-cell single molecule microscopy to uncover molecular mechanisms of gene expression control. Their research focuses on human gene regulation in health and disease, as well as gene regulation in RNA viruses. They study dynamics, heterogeneity, and develop imaging technologies for a deep molecular understanding of gene expression processes.''
''We study the dynamics of single cells within organoids with a focus on development, and single proteins with a focus on chaperone-guidance and ribosome translation. We develop novel experimental approaches using optical tweezers, single-molecule fluorescence, 3D confocal microscopy, and AI-driven cell tracking.''
Keywords: Organoid development/Protein folding/AI-driven image analysis/Single-molecule techniques
''The Zwanikken Group interrogates the polarization network of budding yeast with stochastic simulations and liquid state theory, with an emphasis on the coupling between network dynamics, local structure, and stochastic fluctuations. These methods simulate single-particle events in a 3D reaction-diffusion system, where the reaction rates are informed by experiments of the LL Lab and fully-atomistic simulations of the NS Group.''
Keywords: Stochastic simulations/phase transitions/network dynamics/Reaction-diffusion systems