Engelke Investigates Kinesins Within Cilia
Assistant Professor Martin Engelke became interested in live-imaging of cells and how transport occurs in cells as a graduate student. “During my PhD at the University of Zurich, I performed live-imaging of cells infected with fluorescently-tagged adenovirus,” Engelke said. “The viruses, visible as fluorescent puncta in the cells, moved with complex and seemingly random trajectories through the cytoplasm. Yet, they arrived at the nucleus after similar time periods. This raised questions about what kind of regulation and mechanisms could result in this kind of motion.”
As a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Michigan, he started his interest in motor proteins known as kinesins. When he started his own lab group at Illinois State University, he continued research on kinesins.
Engelke joined the BCMB department in August 2024 and is currently studying the roles of kinesins in transporting molecules within cilia by a process known as intraflagellor transport. Cilia are found on almost all types of animal cells and are important for many functions, such as moving fluid over the surfaces of our airways. When cilia malfunction it can lead to various diseases. His lab is trying to answer various questions about motor proteins and cilia such as: How is the activity of kinesin-2 regulated? Why is continuous intraflagellor transport needed to maintain the ciliary structure? Why do certain kinesin-2 mutants generate longer or shorter cilia?
As a research mentor, he looks for students who are interested in intracellular transport/cilia/cell biology and are motivated to contribute to original research. Engelke believes his role is to “keep their flame of passion for research burning.”