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Content archived on 2024-06-18

A Chemical Approach to Understanding Cell Division

Objective

Many mechanisms underlying cytokinesis, the final step in cell division, remain poorly understood. The goal of my laboratory is to use chemical biology approaches to address some of the unanswered mechanistic questions by studying cytokinesis at the process, pathway and protein levels. I aim to discover small molecules that specifically target cytokinesis by different mechanisms because they are important tools to study the biology of cell division and could catalyze the discovery of therapeutics.

I am proposing here to use small molecules we discovered to study how the Rho pathway regulates cytokinesis. We will synthesize focused libraries around selected compounds to optimize their properties and to identify sites for affinity tags. I am proposing to identify our small molecules’ cellular targets using a combination of approaches, including a new strategy I designed that takes advantage of the fact that they target a discrete signalling pathway.

Rho signalling is involved in every step of cytokinesis, but there are many outstanding questions about how this occurs and which proteins are involved. We have completed a genome-wide RNAi screen that has revealed the identity of new proteins connected to Rho signalling. We will combine functional investigations into how these proteins participate in cytokinesis with our newly discovered small molecules. With this array of tools in hand, we expect to use imaging and other cell-based assays to gain of comprehensive understanding of the role of Rho signalling during cytokinesis and other Rho-dependent processes.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

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Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Call for proposal

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ERC-2012-StG_20111012
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Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

ERC-SG - ERC Starting Grant

Host institution

KING'S COLLEGE LONDON
EU contribution
€ 1 499 079,60
Address
STRAND
WC2R 2LS London
United Kingdom

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Region
London Inner London — West Westminster
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

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No data

Beneficiaries (1)

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