Competences
Main axes of research
- Functions and regulation of the plant actin cytoskeleton: (i) understand the mechanisms bywhich actin binding proteins regulate actin cytoskeleton structure and dynamics in plants with a special focus on the formation of actin networks and bundles and on their biological roles; (ii) Understand how the actin cytoskeleton communicates with the nucleus. Working models are LIM domain proteins which the lab recently identified as important actinfilament bundlers and which are also involved in nuclear functions.
- Chinese medicinal plants: Together with the Gade Institute of the University of Bergen (Norway), the Modern Research Center for Chinese Traditional Medicine (Shanghai), and the Institute of Medicinal Plant Development (Beijing) the laboratory participates in acollaborative research project which aims at identifying novel components with anti-cancer activities in Chinese medicinal plants. This research is supported in part by the International Research Staff Exchange Scheme (IRSES) of FP7.
Current research projects
- Identifying LIM Protein Functions in Plants: The actin cytoskeleton is a complex intracellular system of dynamic filaments supporting various biological processes in higher eukaryotes, including cell division, growth, contraction, motility and defence against pathogens. In humans, deregulation of its dynamics or organisation can have dramatic consequences on health, e.g. myopathies and cancers. The PMB unit aims to unravel the actin cytoskeleton functions and its regulation and focuses on evolutionary conserved actin regulatory proteins expected to participate in fundamental cellular actin-based processes. Comparative analyses should identify central actin regulators and uncover common pathways involved in actin cytoskeleton remodelling. By studying LIM proteins with dual cytoskeletal and nuclear functions, the unit addresses the emerging issue on cytoskeletonnuclear cross-talks.
- Chinese Medicinal Herbs: TCMCANCER: Chinese herbal medicine is an important part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and has a tradition in the prevention and treatment of diseases, such as cancer. Components responsible for these therapeutic effects belong to 4 groups of plant secondary metabolites: alkaloids, terpenoids, flavonoids and steroids. We study anti-cancer effects of novel purified components from Chinese medicinal herbs and from local plants, and aim to identify novel lead compounds for potential use in cancer therapy.
Resources and collaborations
Equipment
- Confocal laser scanning microscope LSM510 META (Zeiss)
- Procise 491 peptide microsequencer (Applied Biosystems)
- Biolistic Particle Delivery System PDS-1000/He (BioRad)
- Preparative ultracentrifuge Optima TLX (Beckman)
- Spectrofluorimeter Quantamaster QM4 (Photon Technology International, Inc.)
- Gel documentation system GelDoc-It TS (UVP)
- Thermocyclers (Stratagene, BioRad)
- Plant incubation chamber
- CO2 incubation chamber
- Shaking incubators (for bacterial and plant cell cultures)
- Laminar Flow Hoods
- Automated Cell Analyser Cell-IQ (Chipman Technologies)
Products and services
Identification of novel components with anti-cancer activities in Chinese medicinal plants.
Major partnerships and collaborations
National: CRP-Santé: Laboratory of Immunogenetics and Allergology, Genomics research unit, Flow Cytometry; National Laboratory of Health
International: University of Bergen, Department of Biomedicine (NO); University of Bergen, The Gade Institute (NO); Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Research Centre for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing (CN); Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Resource and Conservation Research Centre, Beijing (CN); Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese
Medicine, Shanghai (CN); University of Vienna, Institute of Biomolecular Structural Chemistry (AT); Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, High Resolution Optical Microscopy, Heidelberg (DE); TU München, Institute of Botany, Science Centre Weihenstephan, Freising (DE); University of Zurich, Institute for Plant Biology, Zurich (CH); Institute of Plant Molecular Biology (IBMP),
Molecular Mechanisms of Phenotypic Plasticity, Strasbourg (FR)
Additional information
- Confocal Microscopy (www.microscopy.lu)
- LIM protein research
Human resources
- 8 Researchers (Prof., ass. Prof., Post-docs, PhD)
- 2 Doctoral students and students
- 0 Engineers
- 2 Technicians
- 0 Other
Business sector(s)
- Life Sciences, health and biotechnology
Contact
Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Oncology
CRP-Santé, 84, Val fleuri, L-1526 Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Phone: +352 26 97 02 51
Fax: +352 26 97 03 90
Email: andre.steinmetz@crp-sante.lu
Site: http://www.crp-sante.lu
R&D Contact
PhD STEINMETZ André
Head of Research Unit
Phone: +352 26 97 02 51
Email: andre.steinmetz@crp-sante.lu
