Skop Lab
Principal Investigator: Ahna Renee Skop
Institution: University of Wisconsin–Madison (Madison, WI)
Primary Subfield: Genetics/Genomics
Recruitment Status: Inquire for rotation/fellowship opportunities
Research Focus
SUMMARY Cell-cell communication is essential for coordinating complex biological processes, and extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as critical mediators of intercellular signaling. This project focuses on a unique class of large EVs called midbody remnants (MBRs), which are released during cell division. MBRs represent a novel mode of intercellular communication with potential implications in various physiological and pathological contexts. The overarching goal is to elucidate the mechanisms by which MBRs facilitate the transfer of information between cells. Specific goals over the next five years are to: 1) investigate how the informational content of MBRs varies in different biological contexts by identifying and characterizing conserved and unique molecular cargo (RNAs, small RNAs, and cell surface proteins) of MBRs from different cell types, including cancer, stem, and differentiated cells, and 2) elucidating the mechanisms by which recipient cells recognize and internalize MBRs. In addition, 3) we will investigate the potential hijacking of the MBR pathway by viruses for transmission, by examining viral RNA localization, factors required for viral RNA targeting to MBRs,…
Active NIH Awards
- 1R35GM161113-01: Mechanisms governing the midbody remnant in intercellular RNA communication (2026)
- 5R01GM139695-04: Functional analysis of mammalian midbody RNA in post-mitotic signaling functions (2024)
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