Activités principales

Laboratory

The host laboratory, Membrane Mechanics and Dynamics of Intracellular Signaling, led by Dr Christophe Lamaze is part of the Chemical Biology of Cancer (UMR3666 CNRS-U1339 INSERM). The team research focuses on understanding how plasma membrane dynamics and trafficking control the signal transduction, in particular during mechanical stress. In the lab, Dr Cedric Blouin has developed an original line of research combining biochemistry and biophysics to investigate mechanobiology and lipid nanodomains in JAK/STAT signaling.

https://institut-curie.org/team/lamaze#presentation

The project

The interplay between plasma membrane lipids, membrane associated proteins, the actin cytoskeleton and dynamic scaffolding structures such as clathrin-coated assemblies and caveolae is still poorly understood. Deciphering how the dynamics and the nanoscale organization of the plasma membrane control cell signaling remains a major challenge in cell biology. Based on our previous work (Blouin et al. Cell 2016; Li et al. BioRxiv; Mani et al., Nat Cell Biol 2026), the project aims to determine how the IFN-γR signaling receptor dynamically interacts with lipid nanodomains at the plasma membrane, how it connects with the various molecular assemblies beneath, and how these interactions are tuned by mechanical cues. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms that control IFN-γR signaling, we will a unique combination of advanced imaging techniques upon control of membrane architecture and mechanical status. Building on recent C. Blouin’s ANR grant, the project will benefit from a well-equipped and strongly supported research environment, providing excellent conditions for ambitious research and will additionally involve French academic partners.