Projects developed in the “Membrane Dynamics and Mechanics of Intracellular Signaling” team are based on the new concepts and original assays developed by the team for the last ten years to investigate the Cell Biology of membrane trafficking and mechanics and its role in intracellular signaling.
The team focuses its effort on three mains directions:
1 – Molecular control of JAK/STAT signaling by endosomal sorting of interferon receptors (IFN-Rs). Following our pioneering studies on EGF signaling, we wish now to identify the molecular machinery that couples IFN-R endocytosis and endosomal sorting with JAK/STAT signaling.
2 – Understanding the new mechanical role of caveolae in signaling and pathophysiology. We have recently revealed a new role for caveolae, a subset of membrane invaginations present at the cell surface and have established that their disassembly /reassembly cycle represents the primary cell response to mechanical stress (Cell, 2011). We wish now to understand and identify the molecular players and signaling pathways involved in the caveolae-dependent mechanical response in cancer cell proliferation, muscle dystrophies and atherosclerosis.
3 – Investigating the role of membrane trafficking in cholesterol transcriptional homeostasis. In particular, we are investigating the role of caveolae and shear stress in cholesterol homeostasis in human endothelial cells.
