Van Andel Institute’s Post

Unresolved questions ignite deeper fascination! A newly published scientific article explores a mysterious property of cells that has not yet been fully understood. The article discusses how scientists have transformed cellular vaults to treat cancerous cells, showcasing the potential for important medical advancements. A challenging and unpredictable journey for a group of scientists to uncover the mystery of the vault abundant in the cell compartment. Here is the link to the original and first article published on Vaults by Leonard H. Rome. https://lnkd.in/ehmVpzMT Let's delve into one of the major mysteries of cell biology: Vaults.

It is British Science Week 2024! To celebrate, we would like to tell you more about our research themes! Today is Cellular dynamics and compartmentalisation theme: Virtually all cellular functions in animals and plants – including division, differentiation, migration, adhesion and secretion – are dependent on cytoskeletal and membrane dynamics. MCF researchers use the very latest approaches in cell manipulation, biological imaging and proteomics to explore how the functions of cellular membranes and the cytoskeleton are governed, and the impact of impaired cell dynamics on numerous common and rare diseases.  Learn more about researchers from the School of Biological Sciences associated with cell dynamics research: https://lnkd.in/e4F8ExJQ #BritishScienceWeek2024

Connect With the Leaders in Structural Cell Biology in the Nervous System | March 19 Emerging research indicates that intrinsically disordered proteins impact neuronal cell function and the landscape of neurological disease. This meeting brings together cell scientists and neuroscientists to foster a global discussion on the structure of subcellular compartments like synapses and the potential functional impacts of protein aggregates and liquid condensates in neuronal cells. Speakers • Pietro De Camilli, Yale University • Shigeki Watanabe, Johns Hopkins University • Mingjie Zhang, Southern University of Science and Technology (China) Learn more and reserve your spot: https://ow.ly/YwY350Qua43

Dr Arjuna Ratnayaka is a specialist in retinal cell biology and neurodegeneration at University of Southampton. His doctoral work characterised the molecular/biochemical fate of proteins associated with Age-related Macular Degeneration. He currently has a team of PhD students studying the molecular mechanisms underlying degenerative processes in the retina and brain. #amdawarenessmonth #visionscience #agerelatedmaculardegeneration

Is plasticity of the brain "relearning" as brain biology changes an on going normal process also? https://lnkd.in/gpTtWxqx

PhD student Manqi Cai’s article “scMD facilitates cell type deconvolution using single-cell DNA methylation references” was published in the Communications Biology Journal! Their research introduces scMD (single cell Methylation Deconvolution), a groundbreaking framework for extracting cell-type-specific information from bulk DNA methylation data, especially in complex tissues like the brain. This method surpasses current techniques and accurately identifies cell types associated with Alzheimer's disease. Manqi is advised by Drs. Jiebiao Wang and Chris McKennan. Read Cai’s research here: https://lnkd.in/e_kiE6Aj

SEMINAR, DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY, UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA I was pleased to present some of our recent research on drug design for Alzheimer's disease at the Departmental Seminar at the University of Victoria. The presented work explored our studies using molecular dynamics, molecular mechanics and molecular orbital QM calculations to understand the role of beta-amyloid as an immunopeptide and the role of neuroinflammation in the aetiology and pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Great audience! Great questions! #alzheimersdisease #neurodegeneration #drugdesign

Mechanosensing in Lysosomes Lysosomal volume expansion is a hallmark of lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs), aging, and several neurodegenerative diseases. Given the ubiquitous presence of mechanical forces in biological systems, lysosomal volume has been proposed as a potential universal biomarker for LSDs. However, the mechanism by which lysosomes detect these forces remains unknown. TMEM63, a recently identified lysosomal mechanosensitive ion channel reported in Nat Cell Biol https://lnkd.in/eZfR-9rJ, may hold the key to understanding this process. https://lnkd.in/eQ-h6cPV #genetics #genomics #precisionmedicine #genomicmedicine #raredisease #lysosomalstoragedisorders #brain #neurology #neurodegeneration #neuroscience #aging #longevity #biomarkers #therapeutics #parkinsons #alzheimers #biotechnology #innovation #research #science #sciencecommunication

New #paperalert! 📢 Researchers around Dr. Antonio Scialdone from #HelmholtzMunich and Dr. Shankar Srinivas at University of Oxford have deciphered the molecular mechanisms behind a key event shaping our body's structure. The #study focuses on the anterior visceral endoderm (#AVE) & its vital role in establishing the head-tail axis in mammals. 👉Read more: https://lnkd.in/dUUTqS6s

Witness the remarkable meeting point of the fallopian tube and the uterus - the isthmus, brought to you by Dr. Kate O'Neill and Dr. Junhyong Kim from the University of Pennsylvania using PhenoCycler. It's truly egg-ceptional! Blue = nuclei Pink = epithelial cells Green = extracellular matrix Orange = T cells Teal = lymphatics Red = smooth muscle cells Learn how spatial biology can help you discover novel insights in human biology, spanning a continuum from discovery to clinical and translational research. https://bit.ly/44bI8Xw #tissuetuesday #spatialbiology #singlecell #immunooncology #HuBMAP