Weis Group

Subcellular compartmentalisation is a hallmark of eukaryotic cells, with membrane-bound organelles such as the nucleus and mitochondria carrying out specialised functions in compartments separate from the cytosolic space. Organelles can improve the efficiency and safety of biochemical reactions, e.g., by controlling the local concentration of reactants and restricting the movement of harmful side-products. Alongside these permanent structures, eukaryotic cells also contain a plethora of dynamically forming membraneless organelles, which assemble when proteins and/or nucleic acids condense into liquid-like droplets through a process called phase separation. Membraneless organelles include P bodies, stress granules and nuclear speckles, and are implicated in a wide variety of cellular processes.

The Weis lab is interested in how cells organize their contents within and between these different compartments. Topics of study include nucleocytoplasmic transport, nuclear pore complex structure and assembly, the regulation and function of biomolecular condensates in the regulation of gene expression and the control of the biophysical properties of the cytoplasm. We use different model systems and a wide range of techniques, including in vitro reconstitution, in vivo imaging, cryo-EM, -omics approaches, and genetics. We are also developing novel imaging and image analysis tools to push the boundaries of visualization of these dynamic processes.

You can find out more about our research topics by clicking the links below.