Paula's paper published in Nature Communications!
March 14, 2026
It took some time, but we finally made it! Paula Rebelo's paper, a former brilliant PhD student in our lab (and now in the group of Christian Frezza in Cologne), was published in Nature Communications. In this work, Paula (et al.) uncovered a completely new role for the protein MFF, which was previously known for its function in mitochondria. She showed that MFF is also present on melanosomes – the organelles responsible for melanin production – where it regulates their size and maturation. Big congratulations to Paula and to all the authors for this fantastic achievement!
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Welcome Giorgia and Đurđa!
25 February 2026
We are very happy to welcome Giorgia and Đurđa to our team! As they begin their student journey in the lab, we wish them lots of curiosity, enthusiasm, successful experiments, and many exciting discoveries along the way. We are looking forward to working together and supporting them in the months ahead.
Irene defended her thesis!
8 December 2025
Irene, our brilliant student, has successfully defended her thesis. We are very proud of her achievement and wish her all the very best for the next steps in her career and future adventures!
Goodbye, and thank you for everything, Federica
1 August 2025
Our lab is, unfortunately, also saying goodbye to one of its most experienced members and a true soul of the team, Federica. Her presence, energy, and support have been an essential part of our daily life in the lab, and she will be deeply missed by all of us. We wish Federica all the very best for the next steps in her career and all the success she truly deserves. Ciao, Fede!
Goodbye, Bea
1 August 2025
We are saying goodbye to Beatrice, who spent almost a year in our lab. Even though she was a junior member of our team, she fit perfectly into the group and brought many smiles. We wish her lots of success and all the best in her next studies in Trieste!
Tomas wins the PNRR grant for young scientists!
15 May 2025
Great news for our lab! Tomas was awarded funding through the PNRR MUR Young Researchers MSCA Grant, an initiative promoted by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) to support outstanding young scientists. The funded project, INNUENDO (Identifying new membrane contact site modulators by high-content screening and deconvolution of their protein targets), follows up on his previous MSCA project MERCURY. The project focuses on discovering new regulators of membrane contact sites and understanding how they function at the molecular level. Congratulations Tomas!
Welcome Cristian!
1 April 2025
We are very happy to welcome Cristian to our team! It is great to have him join the lab, and we are looking forward to working together, sharing ideas, and seeing all the exciting science ahead.
Tomas and Marta published in Nature Cell Biology!
31 October 2024
We are happy to share our recent Comment published in Nature Cell Biology! In this article, we discuss how membrane contact sites are dynamically regulated over time. We highlight the importance of considering their temporal behaviour, including possible circadian or time-dependent patterns. By focusing on this "temporal dimension" of MCS biology, we aimed to encourage further studies into how organelle interactions are controlled over time and how their dysregulation may contribute to disease.
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Marta has received a LEO Foundation Grant!
04 February 2021
We are absolutely delighted to announce that Marta has been awarded a LEO Foundation Open Competition Grant! The project, "Switching on melanogenesis: characterization of a yet undiscovered player in melanin production", focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms that control melanin synthesis in melanocytes. In particular, the work investigates the role of AIFM3, a poorly characterised protein that may regulate melanogenesis through the modulation of organelle interactions. By studying how organelles coordinate during melanin production, the project aims to uncover new fundamental mechanisms underlying skin biology and pigment-related disorders such as albinism and vitiligo.
