Institute of Protein Biochemistry, CNR.

Via P. Castellino, 111 - 80131 Napoli

2014 IBP Seminar Series

CNR Conference Room

Thursday, July 10th, 2014 at 14:30

Dr. Hess Farhan

Biotechnology Institute Thurgau (Switzerland) and University of Konstanz (Germany)

"Signaling at the Golgi and its role in cell migration and tumorigenesis"

Host: Dr Alberto Luini

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

Hess Farhan's two major lines of investigation are: the role of the Golgi in directional cell migration and the mutual regulation between the secretory pathway and cellular signaling cascades. The secretory pathway is composed of the rough endoplasmic reticulum (ER), the ER exit sites (ERES), the intermediate compartment (ERGIC), the Golgi apparatus and the various post Golgi compartments along the exocytic route. Organelles of the secretory pathway provide the proper environment for protein folding and post-translational modification. In addition, these cellular organelles also have other cellular functions, like the role of the Golgi apparatus in directional polarity. Upon induction of directional cell movement, the Golgi polarizes towards the leading edge. Any interference with the structural integrity of the Golgi apparatus, will result in an inhibition of directional cell migration. In Farhan's group previous work, they identified 38 kinases and phosphatases (so called Golgi-class hits) that regulated the structural integrity of the Golgi. These Golgi-class hits offer a framework for a better understanding of how directional cell movement is regulated by signal transduction. These results are likely to have a broad implication for pathological processes associated with disrupted cellular polarity, as cancer cell metastasis. 

Hess Farhan studied medicine in Vienna and as a student worked on vitamin D metabolism in prostate cancer. He then moved to work on trafficking of neurotransmitter transporters. As a postdoc at the University of Basel (Switzerland) he worked on a kinome/phosphatome screen for regulators of the secretory pathway and on the role of autophagy in Salmonella clearance. Since February 2011 he has become a junior group leader at the University of Konstanz (Germany) and at the Biotechnology Institute Thurgau (Switzerland) working on signaling to and from the secretory pathway.

Dr Maria Rosaria Coscia & Stefania Mariggiò
Seminar Coordinators
Institute of Protein Biochemistry, CNR
Via P. Castellino, 111
80131 Naples Italy
Tel 0039 081 6132556/545