Giulia Cazzagon

Division is one of the most important events in the life of a cell, which ensures that the genetic material and the entire set of cellular components segregate in the correct way between the two daughter cells. To divide, cells have to undergo profound shape changes in a timely manner. While it is known that these changes are mainly determined by the actin cortex, much remains to be discovered about the molecular and cellular mechanisms that drive partitioning of the cytoplasm and cell division.

The aim of my project is to characterise new molecular and cellular mechanisms that contribute to asymmetric stem cell divisions, using the fly as a model system. In doing so, I hope my work will help to shed light on the mechanisms underpinning animal cell division in general.