Section Molecular Cell Biology

The research mission of this section is to study key cellular and organismal processes in molecular detail to generate novel, fundamental insights related to cellular and organismal fitness. Through high-quality research, we aim at identifying and, where possible, at exploiting cellular targets to promote healthy aging and/or treat human disease.

• We study several aspects of cell biology including protein homeostasis, protein complex remodelling, and organelle biogenesis and maintenance. Model systems include yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, mice, mammalian cells and (patient-derived) induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), somatic stem cells, organoids, and organotypic slice models.
• Diseases studied encompass neurodegenerative disorders, (cardio)myopathies, gastroenterological diseases, dermatological diseases, infections and malignancies. Our section (and department) has a formal link with the Department of Radiological Oncology.
• The section runs facilities for Drosophila research, offering a variety of disease and aging models, for access to Cesium-137γ-ray, to irradiate of samples, and for molecular imaging, providing state-of-the-art equipment for fluorescence and electron microscopy analyses.