The Rocks Lab is interested in Rho GTPase proteins, the master regulators of the cytoskeleton.
We investigate how the signaling function of Rho GTPases is controlled
in space and time in cells and how this precision control is required to
drive specific cell shape changes, in normal and disease settings. In
focus are Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factors (RhoGEFs) and Rho
GTPase activating proteins (RhoGAPs) which are believed to be major
contributors of spatio-temporal information. The lab combines cell
biological, genetic and systems approaches, with a strong focus on
advanced live cell microscopy, in order to characterize novel mem-bers
of these regulatory protein families. We aim for a better understanding
of Rho protein signaling specificity, i.e. to identify general
mechanisms that couple the activity of the GTPases to different
environmental cues and functional contexts in cells.
The bachelor/master projects specifically focus on the characterization
of novel RhoGAP or RhoGEF proteins for which interesting preliminary
data exist. The work would involve a wide range of techniques from
biochemistry, cell biology to advanced live cell microscopy (confocal,
TIRF, FRET biosensors), thus providing excellent training opportunities.
If you are interested to work in a young international team of enthusiastic scientists please send your CV to oliver.rocks@mdc-berlin.de
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