The molecular mechanisms of organelle transport by motor protein myosin-V
Fact file
| Duration |
Three to four years full-time |
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| Eligibility |
Self-funded; Home, EU or International Students |
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| Supervisor(s) |
Dr Alastair Hume |
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| Application deadline |
No deadline |
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About the project
Organelle transport is essential for cellular function and survival, and these processes are disrupted in many common diseases including cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. In general the microtubule and actin cytoskeleton systems are thought to fulfil complementary roles in long- (>10 micron) and short-range (10 micron) through the cytoplasm in the absence of microtubules. This finding is surprising as actin tracks are typically 1-2 microns long in mammalian cells and do not form clearly polarised network. Thus it is unclear how myosin-V can drive polarised transport of organelles over long distances along such short tracks.
This project aims to clarify how myosin-V can achieve this. Myosin-V is expressed throughout the body and plays important roles intracellular transport, cell migration and morphogenesis. Thus the findings of this project will be of interest to a large number of cell and molecular biologists. Our work is multidisciplinary and spans biochemistry, molecular and cell biology techniques as well as state-of-the-art imaging modalities including confocal microscopy.
Funding notes
This project is available to self-funded students. Home applicants should contact the supervisor to determine the current funding status for this project. EU applicants should visit the Graduate School webpages for information on specific EU scholarships. International applicants should visit our International Research Scholarships page for information regarding fees and funding at the University.
See this project on FindaPhD
The molecular mechanisms of organelle transport by motor protein myosin-V