ARYA KRISHNAN

The goal of my PhD project is to determine the molecular mechanisms underlying the diverse functions of tubulin modifications using in-vitro reconstitution assays. In this project, I will directly measure how a panel of functionally different microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) is controlled by specific tubulin modifications, and how this affects the behavior of the microtubule cytoskeleton in different cell types. Using TIRF-microscopy-based microtubule reconstitution assays to directly measure the interactions of MAPs with microtubules, I will determine how tubulin modifications control microtubule functions, and which are the physiological consequences of this regulation. Understanding these pathways could provide novel molecular targets for the development of therapeutic approaches in the future,