About

The research division of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics within the Department of Biology at the Faculty of Science of Utrecht University is part of the Institute of Biodynamics and Biocomplexity. The division includes several research groups and is led by Prof. Dr. Anna Akhmanova and Prof. Dr. Lukas Kapitein.

Cells are the fundamental building blocks of all living organisms. Our aim is to acquire novel insights into the structure and function of cells and to decipher the cellular basis for human diseases such as cancer and neurological disorders. To achieve this goal, we combine the latest methods and technologies in molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics and microscopy.

We are interested in the mechanisms underlying cytoskeletal dynamics, membrane transport and signaling pathways that underlie cell proliferation and differentiation, neuronal development and synaptic plasticity. We investigate cellular processes at a broad range of levels, from single molecules and protein networks to cells, tissues, and whole organisms.

The main research topics within the division are cellular organization and dynamics, molecular neuroscience, biophysics, synaptic physiology, molecular oncology and molecular targeted therapies.

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Selected publications

A network of interacting ciliary tip proteins with opposing activities imparts slow and processive microtubule growth.
Saunders HAJ, van den Berg CM, Hoogebeen RA, Schweizer D, Stecker KE, Roepman R, Howes SC, Akhmanova A.
Nat Struct Mol Biol. 2025 Jan 24. doi: 10.1038/s41594-025-01483-y. Online ahead of print. PMID: 39856351

Aurora B controls microtubule stability to regulate abscission dynamics in stem cells.
Kodba S, Öztop A, van Berkum E, Katrukha EA, Iwanski MK, Nijenhuis W, Kapitein LC, Chaigne A.
Cell Rep. 2025 Jan 23;44(2):115238. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2025.115238. Online ahead of print. PMID: 39854207

Nuclear poly-glutamine aggregates rupture the nuclear envelope and hinder its repair.
Korsten G, Osinga M, Pelle RA, Serweta AK, Hoogenberg B, Kampinga HH, Kapitein LC.
J Cell Biol. 2024 Nov 4;223(11):e202307142. doi: 10.1083/jcb.202307142. Epub 2024 Aug 16. PMID: 39150509

Axonal endoplasmic reticulum tubules control local translation via P180/RRBP1-mediated ribosome interactions.
Koppers M, Özkan N, Nguyen HH, Jurriens D, McCaughey J, Nguyen DTM, Li CH, Stucchi R, Altelaar M, MacGillavry HD, Kapitein LC, Hoogenraad CC, Farías GG.
Dev Cell. 2024 Aug 19;59(16):2053-2068.e9. doi: 10.1016/j.devcel.2024.05.005. Epub 2024 May 29. PMID: 38815583

CAMSAPs and nucleation-promoting factors control microtubule release from γ-TuRC.
Rai D, Song Y, Hua S, Stecker K, Monster JL, Yin V, Stucchi R, Xu Y, Zhang Y, Chen F, Katrukha EA, Altelaar M, Heck AJR, Wieczorek M, Jiang K, Akhmanova A.
Nat Cell Biol. 2024 Mar;26(3):404-420. doi: 10.1038/s41556-024-01366-2. Epub 2024 Feb 29. PMID: 38424271

GelMap: intrinsic calibration and deformation mapping for expansion microscopy.
Damstra HGJ, Passmore JB, Serweta AK, Koutlas I, Burute M, Meye FJ, Akhmanova A, Kapitein LC.
Nat Methods. 2023 Oct;20(10):1573-1580. doi: 10.1038/s41592-023-02001-y. Epub 2023 Sep 18. PMID: 3772324

Positions Available!

We are looking for talented and motivated PhD and postdoctoral candidates who are interested in cytoskeletal dynamics, intracellular transport, cellular biophysics, molecular mechanisms of synaptic plasticity, antibody technologies and their therapeutic applications.