Research Summary
Human cells contain internal structures called cytoskeletons. The cytoskeleton gives a cell its shape, supports movement, and helps it to divide and survive. It consists mainly of long strands made from a protein called actin, which grows or shrinks in response to external signals, allowing the cell to move, adapt and change its shape. Problems with cytoskeleton organization, or its ability to respond to signals that trigger rearrangements, contribute to many serious health conditions, including neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders, cardiovascular disease and cancer.
As Canada Research Chair in Cytoskeleton Regulation and Function, Dr. Michael Olson is uncovering how the cytoskeleton is regulated in healthy and cancerous cells. He and his research team are studying cancer cell movement, targeting cytoskeleton-regulatory proteins in ovarian cancer, and exploring cytoskeleton regulation. Ultimately, their research will provide new avenues for developing anti-cancer drugs.