Grant: Canada Research Chairs

To function properly proteins must be folded into the correct shape. Sometimes protein folding does not occur correctly and misfolded proteins accumulate. If prolonged or extensive, this leads to cell death. Stress responses help lower the level of misfolded proteins. Recent evidence suggests stress responses can also alter cell-to-cell communication but we do not understand how. This research program asks how stressed cells communicate with and influence their neighbouring cells. This knowledge will greatly increase our understanding of cellular stress responses in the context of the body as a whole, and not as isolated events occurring in single, stressed cells.