Molecular mechanisms controlling exit from mitosis

Project Information

COHEMEX

Grant agreement ID: 796599

DOI

10.3030/796599

Project closed

EC signature date 24 April 2018

Start date 1 September 2018

End date 31 August 2020

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 157 845,60

EU contribution

€ 157 845,60

Coordinated by

KOC UNIVERSITY
Türkiye

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - COHEMEX (Molecular mechanisms controlling exit from mitosis)

Reporting period: 2018-09-01 to 2020-08-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

This Marie Skłodowska Curie Action (MSCA) entitled “Molecular Mechanisms Controlling Mitotic Exit” aimed at revealing novel mechanisms that control exit from mitosis using the eukaryotic model S. cerevisiae.
Cancer, the uncontrolled division and spread of cells, represents one of the most important causes of death in Europe and all over the world. Understanding how cells control their division is the key to comprehend and cure cancer. Eukaryotic cells divide through mitosis to produce new cells with identical DNA. Yet, mitosis has to be ended for the two cells to be separated to become individual cells with the capacity to further divide. This occurs by a process called mitotic exit. Mitotic exit is a critical step during cell division. Failure to control mitotic exit is the key cause of aneuploidy and genomic instability, which are hallmarks of cancer. Unravelling novel mechanisms of control, this MSCA has significant impact on understanding and treatment of cancer.
Formal objectives of this MSCA is to understand the molecular mechanisms by which a novel potential mitotic exit influencer impinges upon mitotic exit in the model eukaryote Saccharomyces cerevisiae (a) by establishing how it effects mitotic exit parameters (b) by identifying its downstream effectors in mitotic exit control (c) by determining its cell cycle dependent interaction partners. In addition, this MSCA aims development of the researcher as an independent accomplished researcher.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Results from this MSCA were presented as two preprint research articles, and communicated as research talks in two international conferences, one international workshop, one international sectoral meeting, and three university seminars. Results from this MSCA were also presented as nine different posters exhibited in three international conferences and two international workshops.

During the course of the MSCA, the researcher supervised nine graduate students and fourteen undergraduate trainees in her laboratory. The researcher has applied to several national and international research grants during the course of the MSCA and obtained a funding about 400000 Euro for her research. In addition, the MSCA fellow established collaborative interactions with seven established scientists in the host country and one in Europe. The researcher has also undertaken several administrative and management related duties including the co-directory of a microscope facility and co-directory of the graduate school.
During the course of this MSCA, the researcher reached people with different backgrounds by means of meeting with high school students and their parents, hosting high school students in the laboratory, giving an open seminar of popular science, publishing a popular science article, performing a total of 20 trainings for undergraduate students and graduate researchers, delivering four undergraduate/graduate level courses, and by reaching people in the internet through a web page and social media.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The scientific results of the MSCA contributed to understanding of how cell division is regulated. Considering the conserved nature of cell division from yeast to human, this MSCA potentially yielded novel therapeutic targets for cancer therapy, which will in long term have great impact on improvement of human health.

The outreach activities of the MSCA enlightened society about cell biology, promoted the interest of high school stage students on life-sciences and delivered enthusiasm to university students to do research in the field of cell biology. In addition, the transferred theoretical and practical knowledge during the project had greatly increased potency of young researchers, thus potentially expanding working cell biology labs in the host country.

The MSCA assisted integration of the researcher into European research network as an independent and accomplished researcher. By means of the mobility that the fellowship provided to the researcher and the scientific results of the project, visibility of the researcher among scientist in the host country and in Europe increased. Thus, MSCA paved the way for new collaborations and novel project proposals. Being a recipient of MSCA-IF and its fruitful results facilitated the renewal of researchers working contract at host institute for another three years. Activities that the researcher performed alongside the research helped the researcher to expand her collaborative, administrative and organizational skills, as well as her project management, teaching, mentoring and supervising skills. Altogether, the acquired and expanded skills throughout the MSCA increased researcher’s academic credentials.

Assessing the quality of peptide detection in the proteomics facility with the supervisor

Talk at the BAU drug design conference

Establishing interactions with scientist during the 2nd Lipid Biology Sectoral Meeting

At the 7th international congress of the Molecular Biology Association of Turkey with students

Purifying proteins for proteomic analysis