Joshua Lequieu, PhD
, assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering, received a
grant from the Charles E. Kaufman Foundation, which supports innovative and
inter- disciplinary scientific research at Pennsylvania universities, to
study an emerging concept in cellular biology.
A well-known tenet of biology is that, within any given cell, thousands of
biochemical reactions are happening in a given second, and that to keep
these reactions orderly, the cell separates them using organelles, which use
membranes to contain reactions. But within the last decade, a new class of
intracellular compartments has been discovered called biomolecular
condensates.
Condensates differ from typical compartments because they do not rely on
membranes, instead relying on a process known as phase separation. In the
same way that oil and water form distinct layers when combined, cells use
mixtures of different protein and nucleic acid molecules to separate
functions from each other. Lequieu’s project will create a novel theoretical
framework to explain how these operations happen. After validating the
approach using hundreds of experimental measurements, Lequieu will explore
the interactions that drive condensate formation.
“Understanding how and why typical condensates form can help us identify the
process behind atypical formations,” Lequieu explained. “Studies have shown
that poorly- formed condensates are responsible for a number of diseases,
including cancer, neurodegeneration and more. If we have a better picture of
how condensates work, we may be able to treat these diseases more
effectively at the cellular level.”