Thesis supervisor: Hajnalka Laczkó-Dobos
Location of studies (in Hungarian): Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Center of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences Abbreviation of location of studies: SzBK
Description of the research topic:
Autophagy is a „self-eating” process of the eukaryotic cells, during which damaged or obsolete cytoplasmic components are removed and degraded in lysosomes. The breakdown products are then recycled for use in biosynthesis or energy production, which ensures the homeostasis of the cells. Misregulation of autophagy leads to neurodegenarative diseases, cancer, accelerated aging, etc. This interesting catabolic process relies on the biogenesis of unique membranes and membrane-bound autophagic vesicles. Lipids and proteins are the main constituents of these special membranes: they maintain membrane structure and function. Autophagy research has mainly focused on autophagy related proteins and very little is known about the lipids composing autophagic membranes and about their roles in autophagy, especially lipid-protein interactions during autophagic processes. Therefore the main aim of the PhD project is to study the regulatory roles of lipids during autophagy in animals. Drosophila is an ideal model to study the lipid composition of autophagic membranes, and the cooperation of lipids and autophagy proteins. For our investigations we are to use a combination of biochemical, biophysical, molecular and cell biology methods, focusing on how specific lipids influence Syntaxin 17 loading to autophagosomes, which is necessary to mediate fusion with lysosomes. The results obtained by this multidisciplinary approach will help understanding the lipid constituents of autophagic membranes and their functional relevance. This may contribute to the therapeutic modulation of autophagy, by developing new possible drugs and agents.
Required language skills: English Number of students who can be accepted: 3
Deadline for application: 2019-08-31
2024. IV. 17. ODT ülés Az ODT következő ülésére 2024. június 14-én, pénteken 10.00 órakor kerül sor a Semmelweis Egyetem Szenátusi termében (Bp. Üllői út 26. I. emelet).
Login
