A tribute to Prof Katharina Gaus
Farewell to world-leading immunologist and molecular microscopist Scientia Professor Katharina Gaus - a visionary scientist, inspirational mentor, and much-loved friend, colleague and collaborator.
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Reversing severe muscle wasting in disease, ageing & trauma
The discovery of a factor that triggers muscle stem cells to heal, led by Australian-EMBL Partnership Laboratory Head Professor Peter Currie and published in Nature, may lead to faster recovery from muscle injury and wasting diseases.
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Hint as to how SARS-CoV-2 might subvert immune defences
An international study co-led by EMBL Australia group leader Dr Yann Gambin has revealed a potential mechanism the SARS-CoV-2 virus may use to try to destabilise the host’s innate immune response.
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Enabling early and accurate diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease
A new detection method co-developed by EMBL Australia group leader Dr Yann Gambin could enable the early and accurate detection of Parkinson’s disease, vastly improving patient outcomes.
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More than $4.8m awarded to EMBL Australia researchers in NHMRC Ideas Grants
Four NHMRC Ideas Grants have allowed scientists across our Partner Laboratory Network to expand their research in malaria, cancer cell biology, antibiotic resistance and skeletal muscle regeneration.
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This protein empowers cancer cells – targeting it could kickstart new therapies
EMBL Australia group leader Dr Maté Biro has contributed to an unexpected discovery about cancer cells, recently published in Nature Cell Biology. |
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Professor Ian Smith to chair the EMBL Australia Council
We warmly welcome Professor Ian Smith - an accomplished researcher with first-hand knowledge of EMBL's cutting-edge research capabilities - as our new Council chairperson.
More on Professor Smith |
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Innovative research takes us one step closer to developing an effective malaria vaccine
Research led by EMBL Australia group leader Dr Michelle Boyle has linked the activation of specific immune cells to the induction of protective antibodies against malaria. |
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Did you know you can access EMBL's cutting-edge scientific services?
EMBL provides access to the very latest in life science technologies, infrastructure and data resources to its member states - which means Australian researchers can access these world-class services.
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The Biro Group (focusing on Cell Motility and Mechanobiology) is seeking outstanding PhD candidates to join them at the UNSW Lowy Cancer Research Centre, Sydney). The group uses multidisciplinary approaches in cancer immunology, biophysics and advanced microscopy to unravel intricate immune and tumour cell interactions. Applications due before 25 March 2021.
A/Prof Chen Davidovich (hosted at the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute) is looking for two postdoctoral fellows, one specialising in molecular and cell biology and another in structural biology, to join his team. More information here.
Outstanding candidates for post-doc positions are encouraged to contact EMBL Australia group leaders. EMBL Australia groups offer exceptional academic and research environments, with internationally competitive salaries and career-development opportunities.
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The Theory of Living Systems webcast seminar series promotes cutting-edge research at the interface of theory, computation and life science and is proudly supported by EMBL Australia. The next webinar will be at 10am (AEDT) on Wednesday, 31 March, featuring A/Prof Madhusudhan Venkadesan, who runs Yale University's Biomechanics & Control Lab.
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York HM, Patil A, Moorthi UK et al. (Arumugam S) Rapid whole cell imaging reveals a calcium-APPL1-dynein nexus that regulates cohort trafficking of stimulated EGF receptors. (2021) Commun Biol., 4, 224.
Yadu N, Namboothiri A & Arumugam S. FtsZ: The Force Awakens. (2021) J Indian Inst Sci. doi: 10.1007/s41745-020-00215-z
Leyden F, Uthistran S, Moorthi UK et al. (Arumugam S) Combination of photoactivation with lattice light-sheet imaging reveals untemplated, lamellar ruffle generation by PA-Rac1. (2020) bioRxiv. doi: 10.1101/2020.09.01.276824
Shah M, Chacko LA, Joseph JP & Ananthanarayanan V. Mitochondrial dynamics, positioning and function mediated by cytoskeletal interactions. (2021) Cell. Mol. Life Sci. doi: 10.1007/ s00018-021-03762-5
Newman PLH, Osteil P, Anderson TA et al. (Biro M) Niche-guided tissue patterning by chemomechanical flow lithography. (2021) bioRxiv. doi: 10.1101/2021.02.10.430691
Chan JA, Loughland JR, de Labastida Rivera F et al. (Boyle M) Th2-like T Follicular Helper Cells Promote Functional Antibody Production during Plasmodium falciparum Infection. (2020) Cell Rep Med. 1(9):100157
Davidson MS, Yahiya S, Chmielewski J et al. (Boyle M) Automated detection and staging of malaria parasites from cytological smears using convolutional neural networks. (2021) medRxiv.
doi: 10.1101/2021.01.26.21250284
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Recent publications (con.)
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Leng DJ, Greule A, Cryle MJ et al. Chemical probes reveal the timing of early chlorination in vancomycin biosynthesis. (2021) ChemComm. doi: 10.1039/D0CC074 21G
Zhou, S., Bhukya, H., Malet, N. et al. (Cryle MJ) Molecular basis for control of antibiotic production by a bacterial hormone. (2021) Nature, 590, 463-467. doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03195-x
Gail EH, Shah AD, Schittenhelm RB & Davidovich C. crisscrosslinkeR: identification and visualization of protein-RNA and protein-protein interactions from crosslinking mass spectrometry. (2020) Bioinformatics. doi: 10.1093/bioinformatics/ btaa1043
Boast B, Helian K, Andrews TD et al. (Eyras E) Dysregulation of PAX5 causes uncommitted B cell development and tumorigenesis in mice. (2021) bioRxiv. doi: 10.1101/2021.01.29.428877
Pascual R, Segura-Morales C, Omerzu M et al. (Eyras E) mRNA spindle localization and mitotic translational regulation by CPEB1 and CPEB4. (2020) RNA doi: 10.1261/rna. 077552.120
Bhumkar A, Magnan C, Lau D et al. (Gambin Y) Single molecule counting coupled to rapid amplification enables detection of αSynuclein aggregates in cerebrospinal fluid of PD patients. (2021) Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. doi: 10.1002/anie. 202014898
Moustaqil M, Ollivier E, Chiu HP et al. (Gambin Y) SARS-CoV-2 proteases PLpro and 3CLpro cleave IRF3 and critical modulators of inflammatory pathways (NLRP12 and TAB1): implications for disease presentation across species. (2020) Emerg. Microbes Infect., 10(1):178-195.
Ke R, Sam Lok SI, Singh K, et al. (Janovjak H). Formation of Kiss1R/GPER Heterocomplexes Negatively Regulates Kiss1R-mediated Signalling through Limiting Receptor Cell Surface Expression. (2021) J. Mol. Biol., 433(7):166843.
Sluggett JK, Moldovan M, Lang C et al. (Lynn DJ) Contribution of Facility-Level Factors to Variation in Antibiotic Use in Residential Aged Care Facilities: A National Cohort Study. (2021) J Antimicrob Chemother. doi: 10.1093/jac/dkab007
Mulugeta A, Hyppönen E, Ala-Korpela M & Mäkinen VP. Metabolic subgroups and cardiometabolic multimorbidity in the UK Biobank. (2021) medRxiv. doi: 10.1101/ 2021.02.01.21250893
Blencowe M, Ahn IS, Saleem Z et al. (Mäkinen VP). Gene Networks and Pathways for Plasma Lipid Traits via Multi-tissue Multi-omics Systems Analysis. (2020) J Lipid Res. doi: 10.1194/jlr.RA120000713
Ratnayake D, Nguyen PD, Rossello FJ et al. (Martino MM). Macrophages provide a transient muscle stem cell niche via NAMPT secretion. (2021) Nature. doi: 10.1038/s41 586-021-03199-7
Thompson BJ. Par-3 family proteins in cell polarity & adhesion. (2021) FEBS J. doi: 10.1111/febs.15754.
Ha KCH, Sterne-Weiler T, Morris Q et al. (Weatheritt RJ). Differential contribution of transcriptomic regulatory layers in the definition of neuronal identity. (2021) Nat Commun, 12, 335.
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Vaishnavi
Ananthanarayanan
Dr Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan recently joined EMBL Australia as a Group Leader, based at UNSW's Single Molecule Science.
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Share with us something about you most people wouldn’t know.
On the science/education front, I did not code or take formal computer science courses in high school, but ended up opting for a Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Science as the second course in my dual degree at university. (On the personal front, I have hypermobile joints, so I can do some neat party tricks.)
Why did you become a scientist?
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been intrigued by how things work. Naturally, this translated into an interest in pursuing biological sciences in my undergrad. I continue to remain a scientist because of the thrill of discovery, which obviates all the other frustrations that come with one being in academia.
What are your scientific interests?
I am interested in understanding how living cells integrate multiple stochastic processes for optimal positioning and distribution of intracellular compartments in health and disease. The major players in the process are the cytoskeleton and motor proteins, which are the components my research is focused on studying using advanced microscopy.
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What are your goals for your group?
I am hoping to build a research environment that is scientifically stimulating but open, welcoming and inclusive at the same time. I envision a group that works towards a common goal of enhanced understanding of living cells without a compromise on individuals’ mental and physical health, mutual respect and integrity. The goal is to help everyone achieve their potential in the process.
Name one tool you can’t do without.
Does coffee count?
What advice would you give early-career researchers in the current climate?
With the way science academia works now, a lot of things are a crapshoot and therefore it’s especially hard for ECRs who are trying to get a foot in the door.
Whether you get the next grant, award or fellowship is not entirely up to you. So don’t be too harsh on yourself, and take any opportunity that comes your way; get feedback from people you trust and look up to, work on it and hope for the best.
More about Vaishnavi's research
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