The group of Ivan Yudushkin will begin work in mid 2012, and is currently recruiting PhDs and postdocs.

Adaptive character of responses to signals from the environment is a fundamental property of all living organisms. At the cellular level, it is brought about by a highly integrated process of transmembrane and intracellular signal transduction. Although many signaling molecules have been identified, how exactly the dynamics of their interactions ensure the ultimate specificity and adaptive character of cellular responses remains poorly understood. How changes in flux of substrates via an enzyme affects signalling specificity? How intracellular localization of a protein is coupled to its signaling role? What is the function of a given protein in network regulation?

To address these questions, we employ a combination of biochemical and advanced imaging techniques. We are developing tools to visualize the functional state of signaling molecules in live cells to determine how spatial distribution, regulation of specific activity and the corresponding changes in the flux of substrates via individual enzymes determine their signaling function.
Furthermore, to examine the physiological relevance of individual enzymes in signaling, we will be developing new tools to selectively manipulate their localization and activity in live cells.

The ultimate specialization of T lymphocytes provides a cell biologist with a unique model system for functional studies. Specifically, we will be addressing the functional role of protein compartmentalization in T cell signaling, probe the flux of substrates via the Src family kinases in T cells and develop methods to acutely destabilize select signaling proteins to elucidate their physiological functions in T cells. The outlined approaches should also be broadly applicable in other model systems. Our findings will address a spectrum of fundamental questions of cellular physiology as well as provide insight into the molecular mechanisms of activation of T cells.

In the lab we are seeking to create a friendly, collaborative environment that promotes dynamic exchange of ideas and expertise between colleagues in and outside the lab and values initiative, originality and scientific rigor. The group is looking for PhD students and postdocs to pursue challenging, technology-oriented research projects.

Selected publications by Ivan Yudushkin

Yudushkin IA, Vale RD. Imaging T-cell receptor activation reveals accumulation of tyrosine-phosphorylated CD3 zeta in the endosomal compartment. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2010. PMID: 21135224

Yudushkin IA, Schleifenbaum A, Kinkhabwala A, Neel BG, Schultz C, et al. Livecell imaging of enzyme-substrate interaction reveals spatial regulation of PTP1B. Science. 2007; 315:115–119. PMID: 17204654