In the Firat-Karalar lab, we study the biology of the mammalian centrosome/cilium complex, with a specific focus on how these structures are assembled, maintained and dynamically altered in response to signals and what goes awry in disease like cancer and ciliopathies. To this end, we ask clear scientific questions and address them in cell lines and in vitro tracheal cultures using a combination of genome editing, proteomics, cell biology and biochemistry approaches. When required, we learn new techniques by attending workshops, consulting the experts and initiating collaborations with other labs. In the long term, we aim to understand how and why cells compartmentalize through membrane-less structures and reveal the molecular and cellular defects underlying cancer and ciliopathies.
