Cellular Signaling at the Plasma Membrane

Many signaling pathways utilize phospholipase enzymes to propagate messages to downstream targets. Phospholipases remodel the membrane, allowing it to actively participate in signaling processes. These enzymes cleave phospholipids as distinct positions and release both soluble and membrane-delimited signaling messengers, resulting in a multifaceted cellular response. The activity of phospholipase enzymes is essential for many signaling pathways, including G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) and receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK)-mediated cascades. Because of their critical signaling role, phospholipase activity is often dysregulated in human diseases, including cancer. The goal of the Falzone lab is to study the regulation of phospholipase enzymes by their upstream signaling pathways and how this regulation is compromised in cancer using structural biology, biochemistry, and cell biology approaches.