The Management Committee (MC) is the organ at the highest level of decision in the Action. It is composed of 1 or 2 delegates per participant country, nominated by their respective COST National Coordinator (CNC). It is in charge of the coordination, implementation and management of an Action with a view to achieving the Action’s scientific and technological objectives. Delegates will meet twice a year and will have regular communication with the Core Group.

Adrienne Gorman

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National University of Ireland. Galway
http://www.nuigalway.ie
Ireland
WG4
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Speciality: Previous and ongoing research in my group is in the area of stress responses, including the unfolded protein response and heat shock responses. Both of these play a role in promoting cell survival in the face of disruption to cellular proteostasis. Other ongoing research is in the area of cell death, particularly apoptosis, where there is activation of proteolytic pathways (mainly the caspase cascade) that mediate degradation of cellular proteins. Recent published work from my group shows a novel mechanism implicating lysosomal degradation of active caspase proteases that is induced by a pro-survival growth factor. Skills: Biochemistry, cell biology, molecular biology
Alfred C.O. Vertegaal

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Molecular Cell Biology. Leiden University Medical Center
http://www.lumc.nl
Netherlands
WG1
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Our group is interested in protein SUMOylation, a post-translational modification that predominantly regulates nuclear processes including transcription and the DNA damage response. We use protein purification and mass spectrometry to obtain system-wide insight in SUMO- and also ubiquitin signaling in response to different stimuli. We have developed different purification procedures to obtain system-wide insight in protein SUMOylation and ubiquitination. Novel site-specific methods are being developed. Using quantitative proteomics, we are studying SUMOylation dynamics upon DNA damage. Selected novel SUMO targets are studied at the functional and mechanistic level.
Andreas Bachmair

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University of Vienna
http://www.mfpl.ac.at
Austria
WG1
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Plant Biology Ubiquitin and related modifiers Retrotransposons
Andriy Sibirny

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Institute of Cell Biology. NAS of Ukraine
http://www.cellbiol.lviv.ua
Ukraine
WG3
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Speciality: Yeast pexophagy, yeast metabolic engineering Skills: Gene cloning, vector construction, transformation, gene knock out, enzyme assaying, metabolite assaying
Anne Simonsen

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UiO. Institute of Basic Medical Sciences. Faculty of Medicine
http://www.med.uio.no
Norway
WG2
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Our work is aimed at understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in regulation and execution of autophagy, the process whereby cytoplasmic components become degraded in the lysosome. Autophagy is an important cell survival mechanism, allowing recycling and reuse of degradation products by the cell to build new macromoleculs or provide energy during situations of cell crisis or stress, but also plays an essential quality control function by selective removal of damage or dysfunctional organelles, as well as protein aggregates and pathogens, thereby being an important tumor-suppressor and neuroprotective pathway.
Boris Turk

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Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. J. Stefan Institute
http://www-b1.ijs.si
Slovenia
WG6
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Speciality: Inflammation-associated diseases and the role of proteolysis in their onset and progression. We are primarily focusing on lysosomal cysteine cathepsins and understanding their role in these diseases, largely cancer and arthritis. We are combining different approaches, including identification of physiological substrates and developing/characterizing activity-based probes for in vivo monitoring of enzyme activities, which includes both intra and extracellular proteolysis. Skills: Biochemistry of proteases including assay development, proteomics, in vivo imaging in mice, molecular and cell biology Facilities: Proteomics facility, IVIS Spectrum in vivo imaging system, Leica confocal microscope, small animal facility, X-ray crystallography, protein expression and purification facilities, ? MRI facility for small animals available at the Institute
Carina Holmberg

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University of Helsinki
http://research.med.helsinki.fi
Finland
WG2
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Our work is focusing on identifying and characterizing molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways involved in regulation of proteasome function during an animal?s life. Specifically, we are interested in unraveling tissue-specific regulatory mechanisms and changes occurring during aging. By developing C. elegans models for real-time proteasome studies, we have obtained mechanistic insights into proteasome regulation and links between lifespan-regulating signaling pathways and the proteasome as well as found conserved regulatory functions on degradation of proteotoxic proteins in human cells. Translational research has been initiated to relate our findings to human age-associated disorders.
Carmen Doina Manciuc

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St. Parascheva Infectious Diseases Clinical Hospital. Iasi. Romania
http://www.gomi.ro
Romania
WG6
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Speciality: Infectious diseases patients; HIV/AIDS patientsSkills: - clinical skills- lumbar punction technique
Caroline Jefferies

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Molecular and Cellular Therapeutics. Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
http://research1.rcsi.ie
Ireland
WG3
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Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic, multisystem autoimmune disease that affects about 0.1% of our population, predominantly women. It has been over 40 years since a new drug has been approved for specific use in the treatment of SLE. There is therefore an unmet need for new targeted therapies. Recent work has linked high levels of the type I interferons observed in SLE patients with both the pathology and the severity of the disease. Our focus has been to identify novel negative regulators of TLR-induced interferon production, with the aim of developing strategies to manipulate their activity for the treatment of SLE.
Christiane Funk

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Umeå University:Dept of Chemistry and Umeå Plant Science Centre
http://www.upsc.se
Sweden
WG4
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Biochemistry, proteomics, molecular biology
Christine Blattner

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Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT). ITG-Institute of Toxicology and Genetics
http://www.itg.kit.edu
Germany
WG1
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We are interested in the regulation and function of p53, one of the most well-known tumor suppressor proteins. P53 plays an integral part in the DNA damage response and there is more and more evidence, that this protein is also important for the stemcell-phenotype and for differentiation of stem cells. In this cell type, we aim to clarify the precise role and regulation of p53. Another aspect in which we are interested is DNA repair in stem cells and in the question why the DNA damage response is so much more efficient in this cell type.
Dan Lindholm

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Institute of Biomedicine. University of Helsinki
http://www.biomed.helsinki.fi
Finland
WG3
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Neuronal diseases ER stress Mitochondria E3 ubiquitin ligases and DUBS
Devrim Gozuacik

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SABANCI University
http://myweb.sabanciuniv.edu
Turkey
WG2
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Autophagic degradation as a stress and death mechanism in health and disease. MicroRNA networks regulating autophagic protein and mitochondria degradation. Autophagy-proteasome crosstalks. Autophagy-cell death connections. Autophagic degradation in cancer and degenerative diseases. Skills: General molecular biology, cell biology, biochemistry techniques, lab animal experience, experience with clinical materials and human tissue banking. Specific techniques: Autophagic activity tests, lysosomal activity tests, mitophagy tests, apoptosis and stress analyses, proteasomal degradation tests, miRNA analyses, gene expression tests, confocal microscopy analyses, TEM analyses, animal experiments.
Donata Wawrzycka

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Wroclaw University
http://www.biologia.uni.wroc.pl
Poland
WG4
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Speciality: I use the yeast eukaryotic model to study molecular basis of cell resistance to different stress i.e. metal, inhibitors, chemioterapeutic agents, DNA damage agents. For that purpose I use molecular genetics techniques, flow cytometry, live imaging (fluorescence microscopy), gene-by-gene expression analysis (real-time PCR); protein expression and post-modifications evaluation by western blot; DNA cloning, mutagenesis heterological expression. Skills: Research associate with 15 years of solid experience in conducting researches in the field of molecular biology and genetics, designing and executing research projects, organizing and conducting lectures and practical courses of genetics for students, supervising and assistance to undergraduate and graduate students. I have extensive experience in yeast molecular biology, molecular and classical genetics researches, communication of research results verbally and in writing, project management and laboratory organization and management.
Efthimios M. C. Skoulakis

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Alexander Fleming Biomedical Sciences Research Centre
http://www.fleming.gr
Greece
WG6
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Neuroscience of Learning and memory, Fly models of learning and memory disabilities and neurodegenerative diseases. Olfaction and olfactory receptors
Elah Pick

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University of Haifa
http://sci2.haifa.ac.il
Israel
WG2
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Activation and activity of the COP9 signalosome; CRLs activity; developing CSN readout assay; NEDDylation/deneddylation; moonlighting within components of PCI complexes; The COP9 SIGNALOSOME in stress, cancer and neurodegeneration. The CSN/NEDD8 axis upon oxidative stress. Regulation of the Mevalonate pathway, also known as the Isoprenoid pathway by the COP9 signalosome.
Emmanuel Dejardin

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University of Liège
http://www.virofond.ulg.ac.be
Belgium
WG3
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Our laboratory is dedicated to decipher the signaling pathways downstream of various TNF receptor members and to understand how biochemical modifications of key proteins contribute to the biological outcome of these receptors. Our main in vivo studies focus on the mechanisms that contribute to TNFR-mediated inflammation and cancer progression.
Éva Margittai

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Klinikai Kísérleti Kutató- és Humán
No website
Hungary
WG2
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Investigation of the role of autophagy in the intermediary metabolism, with special emphasis on glygocen breakdown and maintenance of blood glucose level. Compensatory role of autophagy in glycogen storage disease type I.
Fumiyo Ikeda

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Institute of Molecular Biotechnology, IMBA
http://www.imba.oeaw.ac.at
Austria
WG2
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Inflammatory regulation by ubiquitin networks, Ubiquitin is one of the most sophisticated and versatile post-translational modifications that regulate numerous biological functions, including inflammation, apoptosis, cancer, cell cycle, DNA repair, Parkinson?s disease and endocytosis. Depending on how Ubiquitin molecules are linked by enzymatic actions, they can form different topological chains on target proteins. These ubiquitin chains with different ?appearances? recruit distinct protein networks that function to specifically regulate various aspects of physiology. By using various approaches from biochemistry techniques to genetically modified animal models, we aim to dissect how ubiquitin networks control inflammatory responses.
Gabor Banhegyi

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Semmelweis University
http://semmelweis.hu
Hungary
WG4
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Investigation of the redox systems and their connections in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumen. ER transporters for electron carriers. Redox effects in the ER stress. Connections between luminal redox, apoptosis and autophagy.