ABOUT THE LABORATORY
The Laboratory of Cell Growth Regulation
was established in 1997 as a joint venture between the Institute of Molecular Biology and
Genetics (Kyiv, Ukraine) and the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, (UCL Branch, London, UK).
The Laboratory is jointly managed by Ivan Gout
and Valeriy Filonenko.
Research in the laboratory:
The research program of our Cell Signalling group is focused on exploring the molecular mechanisms governing growth and proliferation in normal and cancer cells, with special emphasis on signaling via PI3K and S6K pathways.
In this context, a number of interesting new findings has been made, including molecular cloning of a long-sought enzyme in CoA biosynthesis, which we termed CoA synthase. It was discovered as a binding partner for S6K in a yeast two-hybrid screen.
This finding links the PI3K/S6K pathway to CoA biosynthesis and energy metabolism. Extensive screening for PTEN-binding partners has also revealed a number of potential regulators of this critical suppressor of PI3K signaling pathway. Details >>
The group of Cancer Immunology has been actively involved in the search for novel tumor-associated antigens using Serex methodology. This project is part of the world-wide collaboration coordinated by the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research. Serex screening of melanoma, colon and thryroid cancer libraries allowed us to isolate more than 100 positive clones.
We believe that further analysis of the isolated clones would let us to select a suitable target(s) for cancer immunotherapies. Details >>
In collaboration with the Ludwig Institute, we pursue the identification and functional characterization of A33-binding partners. A33 antigen is a focus of clinical trials conducted by the Ludwig Institute in patients with colon cancer. So far, very little is known about the function and regulation of this antigen. We have recently identified two A33-binding partners by the yeast two-hybrid approach and affinity co-purification followed by mass spectrometry.
Functional analysis of identified interactions is currently in progress. Details >>
Lab Personnel
There are 17 scientists working in the laboratory, including 4 PhD students. They are (clockwise from bottom left): Oleg Garifulin, Ganna Panasyuk, Ivan Nemazanyy, Valeriy Filonenko, Ramziya Kiyamova, Ivan Gout, Galina Ovcharenko, Sergiy Palchevskyy, Valeriy Naidenov, Maria Vudmaska, Anna Bugaeva, Helena Gorbenko, Nikolai Rodnin, Irina Tikhonkova.
Our laboratory has an excellent tissue culture facilities, a seminar room with good computing facilities and five well-equipped rooms for research in biochemistry and molecular biology — see our facilities page.
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