Edvinas Stankunas first came to Vienna as a participant in the Vienna BioCenter Summer School in 2016, during his Bachelor’s studies at the University of Vilnius, Lithuania. He later completed a Master’s in Molecular Biology at the University of Vienna and has been a PhD student in the Köhler lab at the Max Perutz Labs since 2021. Edvinas’ research project, published in Nature Cell Biology, sheds light on the architecture and function of the nuclear pore complex – a sole gateway between the nucleus and cytoplasm. Using AI-based structure predictions, electron microscopy, and biochemical methods, the team reconstructed a previously elusive, basket-like structure and revealed features that contribute to its flexibility. “Our findings show that the nuclear pore is a dynamic structure that can reshape itself to meet the cell’s needs”, says Edvinas. The findings may help explain how the transport of diverse cargo is regulated and offer new perspectives on diseases linked to nuclear pore dysregulation.
The Researchers of the Month (Medical University of Vienna)