DOTT. DANIELE FACHINETTI
Molecular Mechanisms of Chromosome Dynamics,
Institut Curie, Paris, France

Maintenance of genome integrity and of a correct chromosome karyotype is crucial for human health. Indeed, both an abnormal number of chromosomes and structural chromosome alterations, aneuploidies, are hallmarks of many human cancers. In response to aneuploidy, cells elicit a surveillance mechanism that stops proliferation and promotes senescence.

The centromeres are unique chromosomal loci built on large stretches of repetitive sequences that play a key role during cell division. They serve as an anchor point for the attachment of the cell machinery (the kinetochore) that delivers one copy of each duplicated chromosome to each daughter cell. Beside this key activity in cell division, centromeres can be hotspots for chromosome rearrangements and breaks in certain diseases as cancer.

Our goal is to understand the molecular basis of centromere function, how cells counteract aneuploidy and the mechanisms that lead to centromere fragility.