Multiscale analysis of cellular membrane function

To understand the cell is to understand life

Within the human body, there are 30 trillion cells and 200 different cell types. Understanding how the cell functions is crucial to understanding every human disease. In our group we ask how does a healthy cell function and what goes wrong in a diseased cell?

We study membrane trafficking and cellular organisation, with a focus on domains of the cell surface, novel pathways of endocytosis, and the cellular role of lipid droplets. We are studying the formation and function of cell surface domains called caveolae, the pathways followed by nanoparticles as they enter cells, and the role of lipid droplets in protecting cells against invading pathogens.
 

Group leader

Professor Rob Parton

Professor Rob Parton

Group Leader, Role of the cell surface in health and disease

Centre for Cell Biology of Chronic Disease, IMB

  +61 7 3346 2032 
  r.parton@imb.uq.edu.au
  UQ Researcher Profile

 Wikipedia

Cell surface plasticity in response to shape change in the whole organism

Hall, Thomas E., Ariotti, Nicholas, Lo, Harriet P., Rae, James, Ferguson, Charles, Martel, Nick, Lim, Ye-Wheen, Giacomotto, Jean and Parton, Robert G. (2023). Cell surface plasticity in response to shape change in the whole organism. Current Biology, 33 (19), 4276-4284.e4. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.08.068

 

 

Caveolae sense oxidative stress through membrane lipid peroxidation and cytosolic release of CAVIN1 to regulate NRF2

Wu, Yeping, Lim, Ye-Wheen, Stroud, David A., Martel, Nick, Hall, Thomas E., Lo, Harriet P., Ferguson, Charles, Ryan, Michael T., McMahon, Kerrie-Ann and Parton, Robert G. (2023). Caveolae sense oxidative stress through membrane lipid peroxidation and cytosolic release of CAVIN1 to regulate NRF2. Developmental Cell, 58 (5), 376-397.e4. doi: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.02.004

 

 

 

Early proteostasis of caveolins synchronizes trafficking, degradation, and oligomerization to prevent toxic aggregation

Morales-Paytuví, Frederic, Fajardo, Alba, Ruiz-Mirapeix, Carles, Rae, James, Tebar, Francesc, Bosch, Marta, Enrich, Carlos, Collins, Brett M., Parton, Robert G. and Pol, Albert (2023). Early proteostasis of caveolins synchronizes trafficking, degradation, and oligomerization to prevent toxic aggregation. Journal of Cell Biology, 222 (9) e202204020. doi: 10.1083/jcb.202204020

 

 

Cavin4 interacts with Bin1 to promote T-tubule formation and stability in developing skeletal muscle

Lo, Harriet P., Lim, Ye-Wheen, Xiong, Zherui, Martel, Nick, Ferguson, Charles, Ariotti, Nicholas, Giacomotto, Jean, Rae, James, Floetenmeyer, Matthias, Moradi, Shayli Varasteh, Gao, Ya, Tillu, Vikas A., Xia, Di, Wang, Huang, Rahnama, Samira, Nixon, Susan J., Bastiani, Michele, Day, Ryan D., Smith, Kelly A., Palpant, Nathan J., Johnston, Wayne A., Alexandrov, Kirill, Collins, Brett M., Hall, Thomas E. and Parton, Robert G. (2021). Cavin4 interacts with Bin1 to promote T-tubule formation and stability in developing skeletal muscle. Journal of Cell Biology, 220 (12) e201905065. doi: 10.1083/jcb.201905065

 

 

 

 

Mammalian lipid droplets are innate immune hubs integrating cell metabolism and host defense

Bosch, Marta, Sánchez-Álvarez, Miguel, Fajardo, Alba, Kapetanovic, Ronan, Steiner, Bernhard, Dutra, Filipe, Moreira, Luciana, López, Juan Antonio, Campo, Rocío, Marí, Montserrat, Morales-Paytuví, Frederic, Tort, Olivia, Gubern, Albert, Templin, Rachel M., Curson, James E. B., Martel, Nick, Català, Cristina, Lozano, Francisco, Tebar, Francesc, Enrich, Carlos, Vázquez, Jesús, Del Pozo, Miguel A., Sweet, Matthew J., Bozza, Patricia T., Gross, Steven P., Parton, Robert G. and Pol, Albert (2020). Mammalian lipid droplets are innate immune hubs integrating cell metabolism and host defense. Science, 370 (6514) 8085, 309-+. doi: 10.1126/science.aay8085

View all Publications

  • Lipid droplets as innate immunity hubs (DRIMMS) (ERC Synergy Grant administered by Clinis Foundation for Biomedical Research - August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute)
  • Tracking nanoparticles: from cell culture to in vivo delivery
  • Functional analysis of a novel variant in CAV3
  • Translating membrane proteins into therapeutics; from bedside to bench (NHMRC Program Grant administered by Monash University)
  • Making muscle: molecular dissection of membrane domain formation

The possible research projects listed below may not be comprehensive or up to date. Please feel free to contact Professor Rob Parton (r.parton@ imb.uq.edu.au) for more information. Your own research ideas are also welcome.

  • Zebrafish as a model to understand human muscle diseases
  • Structure and function of a new family of caveolar coat proteins
  • Novel pathways of endocytosis in cultured cells and in tissues
  • Bioengineering of novel nanovesicles for drug delivery
  • Lipid droplets and immune defence

Nanoparticle-based drug delivery

Lipid droplets fight infection

ARC Laureate Fellowship | Tracking nanoparticles: from cell culture to in vivo delivery

The aim of this ARC Laureate Fellowship is to define the fundamental mechanisms by which a nanoparticle travels from the bloodstream to its site of action inside a cell in vivo. This involves the use of advanced microscopy, novel nanoparticle delivery systems, and unique in vivo systems to dissect how a nanoparticle reaches target cells in a living organism and then reaches its site of action within those cells.

Find out more

Our team

  Group Leader

  • Professor Robert Parton

    Group Leader, Centre for Cell Biology of Chronic Disease
    ARC Laureate Fellow - Group Leader
    Institute for Molecular Bioscience

  Researchers

  • Charles Ferguson

    Mr Charles Ferguson

    Manager, Scientific Services/Outputs
    Institute for Molecular Bioscience
  • Tom Hall

    Dr Tom Hall

    Senior Research Officer
    Institute for Molecular Bioscience
  •  Ye-Wheen Lim

    Dr Ye-Wheen Lim

    Higher degree by research (PhD) student & Postdoctoral Research Fellow
    Institute for Molecular Bioscience
  • Dr Harriet Lo

    Research Fellow
    Institute for Molecular Bioscience
  • Nick Martel

    Mr Nick Martel

    Senior Research Assistant
    Institute for Molecular Bioscience
  • Kerrie-Ann McMahon

    Dr Kerrie-Ann McMahon

    Senior Research Officer
    Institute for Molecular Bioscience
  • Susan Nixon

    Dr Susan Nixon

    Laboratory Manager
    Institute for Molecular Bioscience
  • James Rae

    Mr James Rae

    Senior Research Assistant
    Institute for Molecular Bioscience
  • Yeping Wu

    Dr Yeping Wu

    Postdoctoral Research Fellow
    Institute for Molecular Bioscience
  • Thai Duong Luong

    Dr Thai Duong Luong

    Postdoctoral Research Fellow
    Institute for Molecular Bioscience

Visiting Scientist (UNSW)

General enquiries

  +61 7 3346 2222
  imb@imb.uq.edu.au

Media enquiries

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