1. Tumor cell vulnerabilities and MALT1 signalosome
This axis revolves around the central hypothesis that the signalosome associated with the MALT1 protease integrates kinase signaling, lysosomal fitness, and ubiquitin-dependent regulation of cell fate and life-and-death decisions. Collectively, this axis will establish a mechanistic framework linking proteolytic activities (MALT1 paracaspase and caspases) and ubiquitination (mostly linear ubiquitin chains) systems to intra/extracellular vesicles dynamics and tumor life-and-death decisions
2. Tumor-microenvironment communication and extracellular vesicles
This WP addresses how tumor cells reprogram their microenvironment through mechanical cues and EV-mediated signaling, with a particular focus on endothelial adaptation. The central hypothesis is that biomechanical and adhesion-based cues converge to regulate EV biogenesis and reciprocal tumor-endothelial cells dialogue.
Overall, the team positions itself as a hypothesis-driven research team with a focus on glioblastoma biology, integrating intracellular signaling vulnerabilities, organelle stress responses, and extracellular vesicle-mediated communication into a unified conceptual framework centered on tumor ecosystem regulation.