Completed Cells, Biochemistry & Physiology Genetics & Molecular Biology

Core funding renewal for the Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Biology .

Funder Wellcome Charity-funded
Recipient organisation University of Edinburgh
Funding £5.0M
Period Oct 2011 — Apr 2017

In plain English

AI plain-English summary

Cells are dismantling their own skeletons, copying their DNA, and dividing into two — and a team of researchers wants to watch every step in atomic detail. The Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Biology is renewing its core funding to answer three fundamental questions: how chromosomes separate correctly during cell division, how genetic information flows from DNA to RNA, and how cells control their own growth and size. These are not new questions, but the tools to answer them have changed. The Centre plans to combine cryo-electron microscopy, quantitative proteomics, synthetic biology, and advanced imaging to see the molecular machines at work inside living cells. This is fundamental science. There is no immediate clinical application or commercial product. The goal is to build a complete, mechanistic understanding of how a cell works — how it copies its genome, divides without error, and maintains its size across generations. Past work on similar questions has revealed the machinery behind cancer cell division and genetic disorders. A deeper understanding of chromosome segregation and gene expression could eventually point toward new drug targets or diagnostic markers, but that is not the aim of this grant. The aim is to map the invisible choreography that keeps every living cell alive.

View original technical description
We are seeking renewal of the core grant, which supports the work of the Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Biology. The world class researchers working in the Centre propose to answer key questions relating to cellular function. In particular, we aim to understand the macromolecular assemblies that support chromosome segregation and cell division, the organisation of the flow of genetic information from DNA through RNA, and the control of cell growth and size homeostasis. To achieve these aims, we will develop novel, multidisciplinary approaches, including the application of more quantitative analyses, advanced imaging techniques, Cryo-EM, Systems Biology, Synthetic Biology, Quantitative Proteomics, Structural Biology and Chemical Biology. The expertise and infrastructure available within the Wellcome Centre have been proven to offer the possibility of combining these cutting edge techniques to attack key problems in Cell Biology and link these to human health. Establishment of the Wellc ome Trust Centre for Cell Biology in October 2001 greatly stimulated the quality and quantity of world-class research generated by groups within the Michael Swann Building, and significantly enhanced their impact and international profile. We now propose to further develop our Centre, using our Cell Biology expertise to substantially improve basic knowledge and human health.

View the original record at the funder ↗

Researchers

David Tollervey (EPMC Awardee)

Related Research

Grants with similar aims, by meaning.

Core support for the Wellcome Trust Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute.
Cellular Medicine at the Cambridge Institute for Medical Research.
Core support for Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Biology.
Core Funding for the Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Biology
Wellcome Trust Technology Platform

Original classification

Wellcome Trust Centre

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