News

Dr Vladimir Volkov of Centre for Molecular Cell Biology has been awarded the Wellcome Trust Career Development Award to support his research on the "Structural and mechanistic understanding of kinetochore-mediated control of microtubule dynamics". This significant funding will enable Dr Volkov's laboratory to explore the molecular intricacies of kinetochore-microtubule interactions, vital for processes like cell division and migration.

The project aims to unravel how kinetochores - a complex assembly of proteins - regulate and balance microtubule dynamics under force. By employing cutting-edge techniques such as electron cryo-tomography and a combination of light and electron microscopy, his research will shed light on the mechanisms underlying this force-sensitive connection. The work also promises insights into post-translational regulation and evolutionary conservation of these processes.

Dr Volkov said: "Very happy to receive a Wellcome Trust Career Development Award! The award will fund my lab for a whopping eight years, allowing us to dissect force-sensing at the kinetochore-microtubule interface in depth using a variety of biochemical, structural, and imaging methods."

Dr Volkov is also looking to expand his team, with a postdoctoral position opening in 2025. Interested researchers are encouraged to visit the Queen Mary jobs portal for details.