Prof. Dr. Perihan Nalbant

Faculty of Biology
University of Duisburg-Essen
Universitätsstr. 2
45141 Essen

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• ZMB Research Program
  Molecular and Chemical Cell Biology

Research Overview

The Rho family of GTPases—most notably Rho, Cdc42, and Rac—are central regulators of actin dynamics and cell morphology. Mutations in these GTPases or their upstream activators, such as guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs), are frequently linked to cancer-related phenotypes. Our research aims to elucidate how specific spatial and temporal activity patterns of Rho GTPases are generated, and how these signals are translated into both normal and aberrant cellular behaviors. To dissect the components and dynamics of Rho GTPase signaling networks, we employ a broad array of cell biological and advanced microscopy techniques. In particular, we use high-resolution imaging modalities such as TIRF, spinning disk, and structured illumination microscopy (SIM) to visualize molecular processes in living cells. These methods are complemented by fluorescence-based activity sensors and rapid, chemically- and optogenetically-driven protein perturbation strategies. Together, these approaches enable us to directly investigate causal relationships between key signaling components and their roles in organizing molecular processes in space and time to control cell behavior.
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