Centrosome function in health and disease: a small organelle with a big reach


This is a hybrid event - with the speaker attending in-person and viewable on Teams.

Centrosomes are small cytoplasmic organelles that generate and organize microtubule networks, and thus contribute to a multitude of cellular processes including cell division, polarity and trafficking. For instance, centrosomes drive mitotic spindle assembly whilst cytolytic immune cells depend on centrosomal microtubule arrays for the targeted release of secretory lysosomes. Emerging evidence suggests that centrosomes also act as signalling hubs; due to their membraneless nature, these organelles are able to concentrate (and possibly scaffold) components of signalling pathways from the cytosol. Furthermore, in many cell types, centrosomes template assembly of the primary cilium, an antenna-like cell surface organelle with prominent roles in Hedgehog, Wnt and Notch signalling. To fulfil these complex roles, cells must accurately control centrosome number, composition, structure and function. My group combines cell biology, super-resolution and live microscopy, mouse genetics and proteomics to determine physiological roles and regulation of centrosomes, and to probe the impact of centrosome aberrancies on human pathologies.