Nucleolar adaptation in environmental stress response

https://iab-grenoble.fr/fr/l-institut

Synopsis: By combining live fluorescence imaging with molecular and cell biology techniques the objective of the internship is to determine the functional role of nuclear focci formed by nucleolin upon translocation (from nucleolus) triggered by environmental stress (osmotic or/and mechanical stress). 

Abstract: Join the international young and dynamic team working with state-of-the-art experimental approaches at the interface of cell biology and mechanobiology. 

Our research identifies pathways of signaling enabling cells to rapidly adapt to different environmental stresses. We recently uncovered that nucleolus is a mechanosensitive structure that remodels upon osmotic and mechanical stress (doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.02.731374; under review in Nature Cell Biology). The adaptation process is associated with the translocation of nucleolin – an abundant histone chaperone protein with numerous functions – that shifts from the nucleolus into nucleoplasm in a form of focci. The functional relevance of these foci remains to be uncovered. Our current hypothesis is that nucleolin accumulates on sites of DNA damage to prepare chromatin for DNA damage repair machinery. Substantial data has been already generated in the project and the candidate will contribute with the biological and biochemical characterization of nucleolin foci. The subject has a potential to develop into a PhD thesis proposition after M2 focusing on nucleolar mechano-adaptation in cancer.

Methods: Candidate will use state of the art high-resolution microscopy to observe phase separation and using developed analysis pipeline will perform quantitative analysis of condensates size, enrichment, and rheology (FRAP) to determine phase diagrams of the compositive system. 

Selected publications of the team relevant to the subject: 

1) Shetty Y., Elias K.O., Badawi S., Pernet L., Ribba A.-S., Oddou C., Wacheul L., Belmudes L., Moutaux E., Zorbas C., Fraboulet S., Couté Y., Erdel F., Lafontaine D.L.J., Dolega M.E. The nucleolus is a mechanosensitive condensate that adapts ribosome biogenesis to mechanical forces, 2026.07.02.731374, bioRxiv, 2026, (under review at Nature Cell Biology).

2) Shetty Y. and Dolega M.E.*, Mechanobiology of the nucleolus. Biology of the Cell 118 (2), e70052, 2026.

https://iab-grenoble.fr/fr/recherche/equipe/axes/dynamique-du-cytosquelette-et-fonctions-nucleaires#64

Motivated to work in a highly interdisciplinary team. Experience in fluorescence microscopy and basic cell biology techniques is a plus.