The project led by Pavel Kovarik investigates how specialized immune cells in the lungs, known as alveolar macrophages, rapidly switch between different functions during infection and tissue repair. These cells patrol the airways, fight invading microbes, recruit additional immune cells, and later help resolve inflammation and regenerate damaged tissue. However, it remains unclear how they can switch so quickly between these roles. “We hypothesize that these functional changes are driven by rapid alterations in gene expression controlled by the breakdown of messenger RNA (mRNA)”, says Pavel. “Our work focuses on the protein TTP, which promotes mRNA degradation and may translate environmental signals, such as infection or tissue damage, into changes in macrophage behavior.” The project will be carried out in collaboration with the Lambrecht lab at Ghent University in Belgium. The Lambrecht team provides unique tools and expertise for models of macrophage transplantation that will allow the researchers to directly test how mRNA decay regulates these key immune cells in the lungs. Understanding these mechanisms is expected to provide new insights into inflammatory and infectious lung diseases.
Jonas Ries and his team plan to develop a new super-resolution microscope capable of observing individual proteins in action inside living cells. While many existing methods reveal protein structures in purified or frozen samples, capturing their dynamic behavior in living cells remains a major challenge. “We aim to build a high-performance microscope based on the MINFLUX principle that can track proteins with nanometer precision and millisecond timing”, explains Jonas. The researchers will use the instrument to study kinesin, a tiny molecular motor that transports cellular cargo along microtubule tracks. By following individual kinesin molecules in living cells, the team hopes to uncover how the motor generates force, coordinates its two ‘legs’, and copes with the crowded interior of the cell. The project will also deliver an open-source microscope platform – including hardware design and software – that other laboratories can develop, helping to make cutting-edge live-cell single-molecule imaging more accessible while providing new insights into the mechanics of protein motion.