Exploring the Fascinating World of Stress Granules
Stress granules are transient biomolecular condensates made up of hundreds of proteins and thousands of RNA molecules. They form when cells encounter unfavorable growth conditions, acting as a protective mechanism to enhance cell survival. While this response is part of normal cellular function, dysregulation of stress granule dynamics has been linked to various diseases, including viral infections, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders.
I have been researching stress granules since my PhD and continue to investigate their roles in both healthy and diseased states. I study stress granules using one of my favorite tools in biology—microscopy—alongside cutting-edge technologies such as single-cell and single-molecule imaging. My work integrates diverse areas of biology, including protein translation, cell death pathways, post-translational modifications, RNA biology, RNA-binding proteins, virology, and organelle biogenesis.
Stay tuned for more exciting insights into the biology of stress granules and learn how these dynamic structures influence health and disease
GFP-G3BP1
Interaction Between Biomolecular Condensates & Membranous Organelles
Damage to intracellular organelles such as lysosomes is a form of cellular stress and can trigger stress responses that ultimately lead to the formation of stress granules. I am currently investigating the functional relevance of stress granule assembly during lysosomal damage.
A novel pathway in lysosome biogenesis—stay tuned!
Stress Granules in Cancer
While one of the functions of stress granules is to prevent cell death, cancer cells exploit stress granules to survive chemotherapy and radiotherapy. My goal is to design small molecules that inhibit stress granule formation during cancer treatment, thereby enhancing therapeutic outcomes. We have identified some promising hit molecules—stay tuned for exciting data!
Stress Granules in Normal Physiology
Several factors are critical for stress granule formation, including proteins, RNA, their modification status, signaling pathways, and even pH. I study the basic mechanisms of stress granules in healthy cells, which could help us better target them in disease conditions. One of my favorite areas of focus is post-translational modifications and how they regulate stress granule assembly.
Read more about my work on NEDDylation and ADP-ribosylation in stress granule assembly
Stress Granules Modulation by Alphavirus
Stress granules are formed as an antiviral response against many RNA virus infections. In turn, viruses have evolved mechanisms to disassemble stress granules. I discovered how alphaviruses (e.g., chikungunya virus) modulate stress granules during infection.
Read more about my work here
Stress Granules and Neurodegeneration
Mutations in stress granule components, especially RNA-binding proteins e.g., FUS, can result in aberrant stress granules—that is, granules that persist in cells and fail to disassemble. This can have deleterious effects on normal cellular physiology and is often observed in patients with neurodegenerative diseases. My research aims to find ways to reverse these aberrant stress granules.
Read more about my work here
