Grant: Project Grant

Cells in our bodies communicate over distances through tiny bridges called cytonemes, essential for health and development. We discovered that a protein named Slik acts like an architect, shaping these bridges to allow cells to exchange signals. Surprisingly, Slik has a dual role: while it builds the bridges, it also regulates their function in a complex way. Our studies in fruit flies are uncovering how Slik works, aiming to reveal new insights into cell communication that could have implications beyond understanding disease processes, potentially informing new therapeutic strategies.The discovery of cytonemes is changing how we think about how cells grow. By studying Slik in fruit flies, we hope to learn more about a similar molecule in human, called SLK. This could help us understand how cells work and what goes wrong in several diseases.