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| Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology |
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Welcome |
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Institute of Botany and Microbiology |
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Welcome to the website
of the Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology (K.U.Leuven).
The Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology is part of the Department
of Biology (section Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology) and the Faculty
of Science and is located in the Institute of Botany and Microbiology.
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Our
laboratory is also a department,
the Department of Molecular Microbiology, in the
VIB, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology.
VIB is a non-profit scientific research institute. Using
advanced gene technology, VIB studies the functioning
of the human body, plants and microorganisms. |
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Research |
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The main topic
of the fundamental research in
our laboratory are the nutrient-sensing mechanisms involved in control of the cAMP - protein kinase A and other major nutrient signaling pathways in yeast
( Saccharomyces cerevisiae).
Using the power of yeast genetics and molecular biology, we are unravelling the nature of the nutrient sensors for sugars, amino acids, ammonium, phosphate, sulfate and other essential nutrients, the signaling pathways leading from these sensors to activation of protein kinase A and other related regulators, as well as the downstream events linking protein kinase A as well as connected regulatory systems to important cellular targets: e.g. storage carbohydrate metabolism (trehalose, glycogen), stress tolerance (trehalose, Hsp expression), growth and cell cycle control (ribosomal gene expression, protein synthesis), fermentation rate.
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Applied research and industrial valorisation
is focussed on several biotechnological applications with
yeast: - development of superior industrial yeast strains (bioethanol production with first and second generation substrates, brewing, wine production, baking),
- identification of antifungal targets in the pathogenic
yeast Candida albicans,
- yeast trehalose metabolism
as model and tool for investigation of plant trehalose
metabolism and for improvement of stress resistance in
crop plants,
- use of yeast as a tool for studying mammalian
proteins with medical interest (cancer, diabetes, Parkinson's disease, peripheral neuropathies).
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Staff |
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Latest Publication |
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Claesen J., Clement L., Shkedy Z., Foulquié-Moreno M.R. and Burzykowski T.
Simultaneous mapping of multiple gene loci with pooled segregants.
PLoS ONE 8: e55133 |
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Events |
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Seminar by Jonas Warringer: "From genomics to phenomics in yeast: are we towards a causally cohesive understanding of the genotype-phenotype relation?" |
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May 21, 2013 (10h) |
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Instituut voor Plantkunde en Microbiologie (Room 01.30), Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, 3001 Heverlee |
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PhD Defense Yudi Yang: "Polygenic analysis of high thermotolerance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae" |
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May 21, 2013 (14h) |
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Thermotechnisch Instituut (Aula van de Tweede Hoofdwet), Kasteelpark Arenberg 41, 3001 Heverlee |
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PhD Defense Hilde Van Houtte: "The role of Arabidopsis trehalase and the trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatases during drought stress, growth and development" |
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May 23, 2013 (13h30) |
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Thermotechnisch Instituut (Aula van de Tweede Hoofdwet), Kasteelpark Arenberg 41, 3001 Heverlee |
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PhD Defense Georg Hubmann |
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June 3, 2013 (10h) |
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Arenberg Kasteel (Auditorium 01.07), Kasteelpark Arenberg 1, 3001 Heverlee |
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