Lipid complexity in biological membranes is increasingly recognised as being an essential feature of biological systems, yet few biochemical tools exist to analyze the functional properties of specific lipid classes.

It is clear that lipids are crucial for normal cell function because altered lipid levels cause serious human diseases. For example, mutation of enzymes involved in metabolism of the complex lipids polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and glycosphingolipids (GSLs) results in a variety of pathologies, including a form of mental retardation.

Our laboratory is interested in understanding how PUFAs and GSLs influence cellular and neuronal functions. To this end we have devised an innovative approach, which employs a multicellular, genetically tractable organism, the nematode
C. elegans. This genetic approach overcomes many of the difficulties associated with biochemical studies of complex lipid function.

Since PUFAs and GSLs are largely conserved between C. elegans and mammals, it is likely that these molecules have evolutionarily conserved functions. The expectation is, therefore, that our findings in C. elegans will be highly relevant to humans and could help in understanding/curing the human diseases caused by PUFA and GSL misregulation.

The projects currently available in the lab aim at understanding:

For more information click on the projects above.