Maxence Nachury, PhD
We study the primary cilium, a surface-exposed organelle required for vision, olfaction and developmental signaling. Our lab is interested in the mechanisms of trafficking in and out of cilia and how trafficking decisions impact signaling at the cilium. One research axis focuses on Bardet-Biedl Syndrome (BBS), a ciliopathy characterized by obesity, skeletal malformations and kidney cysts. The BBSome is an evolutionarily conserved complex of 8 BBS proteins that traffics signaling receptors out of cilia and we aim to decipher the molecular details of BBSome-mediated trafficking and the cellular, biochemical and structural level. A second research direction is aimed at cilia-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs). Ciliary signaling receptors that fail conventional exit are packaged into ciliary EVs. By dissecting the mechanisms of ciliary EV biogenesis, we will gain insight into the roles of these extracellular parcels in cell-cell communication.
12/19/19 ACRA: Setting Training Expectations for Trainees on the Academic Career Track (1.5 hours)
12/8/20 Setting Expectations with a "Welcome to the Lab' Letter (Parts 1 and 2)