Institute of Protein Biochemistry, CNR

Via P. Castellino, 111 - 80131 Napoli

2013-2014 IBP Seminar Series

CNR Conference Room

Friday, November 8th, 2013 at 14:30

Dr. Frederic Bard

Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology, Singapore

"The plasticity of the Golgi apparatus and its role in tissue invasion"

Host: Dr Alberto Luini

Tel. 081-6132535; e-mail: a.luini@ibp.cnr.it

Frederic Bard studied at the Ecole Normale Superieure of Lyon in France, where he became captivated by cell biology. He did his graduate work at Yale University working on the osteoclast, a giant, multinucleated cell that can digest bone. His work led to the first description of the dynamics of the sealing zone, a unique actin structure required for bone resorption. During his PhD, he started to be fascinated by the role of the Src tyrosine kinase in the Golgi apparatus. During his postdoctoral work at the University of California San Diego (2001-2006), he identified a collection of genes essential for Golgi organization and protein secretion, the TANGO genes. After joining IMCB in Singapore in 2006 as a Principal Investigator, he went back to studying Src and the Golgi, leading to the characterization of a regulatory pathway operating at the Golgi and controlled by Src. This pathway is involved in cancer invasion and metastasis. As a PI, Frederic has also established the first RNAi screening facility in Singapore. Using this technology, the lab focuses on understanding how signaling pathways regulate membrane trafficking and glycosylation processes and how the Golgi apparatus is organized.