Abstract
Changes of cell shape are required for several cellular functions, including migration, and occur through cytoskeletal rearrangement induced by mechanical forces and biochemical signals. Such remodelling involves changes in activation/localisation of several proteins and lipids. In this project, we will combine biochemical and biophysical studies to investigate the link between a group of phospholipids named phosphoinositides [PIs] and changes in cellular environment/modulation of mechanical forces during cell migration. Furthermore, as genetic alterations of enzymes that regulate PIs levels occur in pathological conditions, including cancer, we will determine how such alterations impact on cytoskeletal remodelling and mechanical forces, ultimately affecting migration.
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