Dr Paulina Nastaly’s lab

My main research focus is to study the architecture of cell’s largest organelle, the nucleus. While there are various mechanisms that can drive tumour transformation and progression in different tissues, cancer cells typically show abnormal nuclear morphology: shape and size. In fact, the Papanicolaou’s smear test (Pap smear) was developed in 1949 as a diagnostic technique for cervical cancer, following the observation that cervical carcinoma cells frequently possess a non-spherical nucleus. This a clear hallmark of cancer cells and have indeed been used as key diagnostic tool from mid-1800s⁠, using simple light microscopy.

The nuclear structure and connections from Pennacchio FA, Nastały P, Poli A, Maiuri P. Tailoring cellular function: the contribution of the nucleus in mechanotransduction. Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2021 Jan 8;8:596746

In my research I investigate novel mechanisms of altering the composition of the nuclear membrane e.g. by mis-localizing them to other compartments as micronucleus (Popeda, Kowalski et al., 2024) and their role in tumor dissemination. I am also interested in nuclear membrane stress and potential molecular pathways enabling adaptation. By utilizing a variety of methods from advanced microscopy and mechanobiology, I would like to understand how mechanical stress and nuclear membrane composition could help the cell to survive in metastatic cascade. With multidisciplinary approach I combine experience both from basic cellular biology and translational cancer research to understand the role of nuclear membrane in breast and prostate cancer progression.

International collaborations:
• IFOM-FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Milan, Italy
• International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, ICGEB, Trieste, Italy
• University of Naples Federico II, Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, Naples, Italy
• Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Center for Advanced Biomaterials for Healthcare, Naples, Italy

Team
• Group leader: Dr Paulina Nastały (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4811-4915)
• Post-doctoral fellow: Dr Kamil Kowalski
• Exchange student: Rahma Ben Ayed
• Exchange student: Letizia Negrini

Contact
paulina.nastaly@gumed.edu.pl

Funding

EMBO SCIENTIFIC EXCHANGE GRANT (#9216), “The interplay between nuclear envelope architecture, glucocorticoid signaling and YAP pathway leading to prostate cancer progression” (15/01/2022-14/04/2022, Total budget: 8 270 EUR)

POLISH NATIONAL SCIENCE CENTRE (#2020/39/D/NZ3/00882), “Nuclear envelope architecture in prostate tumor progression”, Role: Principal Investigator (01/12/2021 – 30/11/2024, Total budget: 1 545 478 PLN ~ 337 500 EUR)