Gea Cereghetti

Function and regulation of reversible protein aggregation during nutrient starvation

Protein aggregation is traditionally viewed as an irreversible process responsible for several pathologies, including neurodegenerative diseases. However, recent evidence suggests that the aggregation of an increasing number of proteins is a highly regulated physiological process, needed by cells to adapt to a variety of stress conditions. The goal of my PhD is to study the function and the signaling pathways underlying reversible, physiological protein aggregation upon nutrient starvation in yeast and mammalian cells.