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We obtained a HFSP network grant (4 years, starting date October-2001). The grant proposal entitled “the molecular mechanism of membrane fission”, bundles the forces of four complementary research groups, combining molecular cell biology of Golgi membrane fission (Prof. Alberto Luini, Consorzio Mario Negri Sud, It; Prof. Dr. Vivek Malhotra, University of California, CA), biochemistry and biophysics of lipids and lipid-protein interactions and state of the art electron microscopy (Dr. Koert Burger, NL; coordinator), and theoretical modeling of membrane bending and fission (Dr. Misha Kozlov, Is).
Group picture at our first HFSP network meeting
Membrane fission is one of the key elementary processes which ultimately determine the function of all intracellular membrane trafficking pathways. Yet, despite considerable progress in the identification of fission-inducing proteins, our understanding of the lipid and protein rearrangements involved in the fission process is extremely limited. Our aim is to determine the exact role of proteins and lipids in membrane fission, and formulate the first comprehensive molecular model of biomembrane fission.
Summary of the HFSP network proposal
Publications made possible by the HFSP support
Background on biomembrane fission
Link to the Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) Organization