Abstract

Microtubules are dynamic filamentous structures fundamentally involved in cell division, motility and intracellular transport. The speaker studies the structure-function relationship of proteins implicated in the regulation of the microtubule cytoskeleton. In the first part of this lecture, the speaker will discuss the molecular mechanisms used by a large group of microtubule associated proteins, the so-called microtubule plus-end tracking proteins (+TIPs), to localize and to control the fate of growing microtubule ends. In the second part, the speaker will present his work on the mechanisms involved in the establishment of the universal 9-fold symmetry of centrioles, complex microtubule based structures that are implicated in microtubule nucleation and in the formation of cilia and flagella.

About the speaker

Prof Michel O. Steinmetz received his PhD from University of Basel in 1996. He joined the Novartis Pharma AG in 1998 as a Postdoctoral Fellow and moved to the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) in 2000. He is currently the Principal Investigator and Head of Laboratory of Biomolecular Research at the PSI.

Prof Steinmetz’s research focuses on the biophysics and structural biology of microtubules and their interacting proteins and drugs. He contributed groundbreaking results to the microtubule structural biology field and his work at the PSI resulted in the publication of more than 100 papers in scientific journals including Nature, Science and Cell.

Prof Steinmetz was elected a Member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) in 2010. He received the Bonus of Excellence award from the Swiss National Science Foundation in 2011.

For attendees’ attention

The lecture is free and open to all. Seating is on a first come, first served basis.

HKUST Jockey Club Institute for Advanced Study
Enquiries: ias@ust.hk / 2358 5912
http://ias.ust.hk