Marina Chekulaeva

Dr. Marina Chekulaeva is a group leader at the Berlin Institute for Medical System Biology (BIMSB). Her main focus is that understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the subcellular localization and translation of RNA in neurons and neurodegeneration. These mechanisms are foundational to various biological processes, including body axis formation, cell growth and migration, as well as learning and memory. Consequently, defects in subcellular mRNA localization are often associated with neurodegenerative disorders.

 
Her lab is focused on two main goals: (1) To systematically map new cis-regulatory elements responsible for RNA localization, identify RBPs that mediate their localization and understand the mechanisms of their function
(2) To investigate the role of RNA localization and local translation in neurodegenerative diseases, specifically ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) and CMT (Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease). By pursuing these aims, her team hope to provide a comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying RNA localization and translation in neurons and neurodegenerative conditions.