Title: Understanding the Role of Cytoskeleton Regulators in Neurodevelopmental Disorders.

Abstract:

Cell cytoskeleton is crucial for functions e.g., cell shape, cell migration, cell division, and many more. Thousands of literatures in the field have suggested that every cell utilizes various types of actin and microtubule cytoskeleton networks with distinct architecture and dynamics to facilitate the fundamental processes. Every biological process e.g., neurite outgrowth and its navigation to appropriate targets is governed by tight regulation and careful coordination of both actin and microtubule network. Errors in neuronal connectivity are central to genetic mutations of these proteins leading to detrimental developmental defects, associated with intellectual disability and deficits in learning and memory. Currently, my research work focuses on deciphering the mechanistic function of cytoskeletal proteins involved in the neurodevelopmental disorder. Understanding the biology of these cytoskeletal modulators will provide the scope to change the treatment protocol to minimize the symptoms of the disease.

About the speaker:

Priyanka Dutta is a DST INSPIRE Faculty at National Centre for Cell Science, Pune. Prior to join NCCS, Pune she had worked for short time period with Dr. Aurnab Ghose in IISER Pune as DBT-RA. She is broadly interested to investigate the function of cytoskeleton modulators associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. She utilizes in vitro reconstitution systems, single molecule TIRF microscopy and cell biology to understand the dynamics of cytoskeleton regulators.

Priyanka had completed her PhD from IISER Kolkata with Dr. Sankar Maiti. In her PhD, she had characterized the atypical function of non-canonical formin Delphilin which can explain the dendritic spine specific localization of Delphilin for stabilisation of actin structures. She had explored the expression and distribution pattern of formin family during the different developmental stage of mice. Apart from this, she had also characterized the actin-binding motif present within the actin cross-linking domain of Vibrio cholerae, responsible for destroying the host actin cytoskeleton machinery.