Guillaume Molinard
Plasma membrane tension is a result of lipid composition, lipid quantity, osmolarity differences between the cytoplasm and the external media, and cytoskeleton pressure. Its regulation can impact multiple cell processes such as endocytosis, multi-vesicular body formation and exocytosis.
Recently several experiments led us to link ESCRT recruitment and activity to membrane tension. On top of that, quantitative measurements of membrane tension during osmotic shocks led us to postulate a model linking volume and projected area of the cell to the membrane tension.
After a bachelor in biology at the University of Nice Sophia-Antipolis (France) I developed a keen interest in plant biology that I refined through multiple internships and lead to obtain a master degree in Plant biology from the University of Montpellier (France).
After a research assistant position in Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory (Singapore) where I developed a new model organism, I moved to the University of Geneva to challenge myself in the biochemistry department.
During my PhD, I tackled the issue of ESCRT-dependent membrane fission and its relationship to membrane tension. I showed how ESCRT-dependent processes could be directly perturbed by changing membrane tension (using osmotic shocks). I developed a method to quantify the volume and area of a cell and link it to its membrane tension in the context of osmotic shocks.