Jennifer Skaarup Koffman: How cells regulate aquaporins and how aquaporins influence cells
PhD defence, Thursday 12 November 2015. Jennifer Skaarup Koffman.
Aquaporins are water channels in the cell membrane that transport water in and out of the cells. During her PhD studies, Jennifer Skaarup Koffman studied aquaporin-5 (AQP5), which is involved in the production of saliva and sweat. An overproduction of AQP5 also takes place in some types of cancer.
Jennifer Skaarup Koffman used both microscopy and kICS analyses to study how single AQP5 molecules move in the cell membrane. Knowledge about such movement improves the understanding of how the cell regulates AQP5 under different conditions. She also investigated how overproduction of AQP5 influences the ability of cells to attach to surfaces and move forward. These results point towards the role AQP5 could play in cancer diseases.
The PhD degree was completed at the Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Centre (iNANO), Science and Technology, Aarhus University.
This résumé was prepared by the PhD student.
Time: Thursday 12 November 2015 at 13.15
Place: iNANO Lecture Theatre, building 1593, room 012, Gustav Wieds Vej 17, 8000 Aarhus C
Title of dissertation: Aquaporin-5 plasma membrane diffusion and regulation of collective cell migration in epithelial cells
Contact information: Jennifer Skaarup Koffman, jennifer@inano.au.dk, +45 2648 8390
Members of the assessment committee:
Associate Professor Soichiro Yamada, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, USA
Associate Professor Nanna MacAulay, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Panum Institute, Denmark
Associate Professor Rikke Meyer (chair), iNANO and Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University
Main supervisor:
Professor Jan J. Enghild, iNANO and Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University
Co-supervisor:
Associate Professor Lene Niemann Nejsum, iNANO and Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University
Language: The dissertation will be defended in English
The defence is public.
The dissertation is available for reading at the Graduate School of Science and Technology/GSST, Ny Munkegade 120, building 1521, room 112, 8000 Aarhus C.