A Journey from the Cell Cycle to Protein Homeostasis
27/01/2026
The transition from interphase to mitosis is governed by the timely activation of Cyclin B1–CDK1 complexes, which function as the principal drivers of mitotic entry. In the first part of this seminar, I will revisit the canonical model of Cyclin B1/CDK1 activation as a mitotic trigger, including my discovery of a positive feedback loop connecting the two mitotic kinases Cdk1 and Plk1 through the protein regulator Bora.
Equally critical to mitotic control is the regulated removal of Cyclin B1 at the metaphase–anaphase transition. In the second part of my talk, I will present my recent work on the spatial regulation of Cyclin B1 degradation at mitotic exit, where I applied quantitative microscopy to show that nucleosomes act as a catalytic platform to ensure timely chromosome separation and genomic stability.
I will conclude by presenting my ongoing research program. I have developed a live-cell imaging strategy to directly quantify protein synthesis and degradation in single, unperturbed cells. By applying this approach across distinct pathways and cellular compartments, my research aims to define how regulatory layers integrate to set protein levels and to test whether eukaryotic cells coordinate gene expression in pathway-wide, operon-like manners. Ultimately, this work seeks to shift our understanding of gene expression from static measurements to dynamic, mechanistic principles.
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