Tomas Vomastek

The focus of my research is on the molecular mechanisms by which the ERK signaling pathway, through the phosphorylation of specific substrates, regulates cell cytoskeleton and, consequently, cell shape, cell polarity and cell migration. We investigate the role ERK plays either in epithelial cells induced to migrate or in fibroblast cell establishing front-rear polarity upon integrin-mediated adhesion. In a parallel project, the focus is on the mechanism underlying nuclear movement. We investigate the reorientation of the nucleus, temporally restricted nuclear rotation that aligns the nuclear axis with the axis of cell migration, and how it affects the establishment of migratory polarity. Both ERK signaling and nucleus movement are further examined in the context of cancer development, progression and metastatic dissemination. The cancer related research concerns head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.