Cells in our body can be seen as mini-factories with assembly lines that produce proteins. However, even cells with the same genes can vary significantly in the amount of protein they make. This variation is called noise. The level of noise can be influenced by different steps in the assembly process, which can impact cellular behavior. For example, increasing noise is linked to antibiotic resistance in bacteria and diseases like HIV and cancer.
Characterising cellular noise regulation
In this project we will study how cells regulate noise, which will improve our understanding of how problems in noise regulation can lead to these types of diseases. The results will provide a detailed understanding of the strategies employed by cells to control noise at both the genetic (cis-acting) and protein interaction (trans-acting) levels. The study will push the boundaries of single-cell and single-molecule analysis and contribute new insights into the widespread phenomenon of functional noise modulation.
