Centrosomes are the cell’s main microtubule-organizing centers and play a crucial role in building the mitotic spindle that ensures accurate chromosome segregation during cell division. In her ESTEEM-funded project, Émeline will use theoretical and computational biophysics approaches to investigate how centrosomes and growing microtubules influence each other’s behavior and self-organize into functional structures. Building on recent findings from the Dammermann lab, she aims to uncover the physical principles that govern centrosome size and shape. “Recent experiments have revealed that growing microtubules are key determinants of centrosome size,” says Émeline. “By combining computational modeling with experimental insights, I hope to better understand how the interplay between centrosome mechanics and microtubule dynamics drives the self-organization of the spindle apparatus.”
Émeline holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Physics from Sorbonne Université and a PhD in Computational Biophysics from Université Paris Cité. She will join the Dammermann lab in September from the Fürthauer group at TU Wien, where she is currently studying the physical interactions between microtubules and centrosomes using electron microscopy data and theoretical modeling.