Dr. El-Naggar Lab

In order for our cells to stay healthy, they must maintain a functional proteome, where protein synthesis and degradation are balanced. This is achieved through proteostasis, a process that employs multiple cellular mechanisms including translation control, the ubiquitin-proteasome system, autophagy, and the unfolded protein response. These mechanisms also ensure the proper folding of the synthesized proteins into their correct 3D structure, which is crucial for proper protein function. Recently protein compartmentalization into specific inclusion bodies has emerged as another level of protein quality control to prevent the accumulation of misfolded proteins which have a detrimental effect on cellular functions and cell viability. There is growing evidence of the involvement of such in inclusion bodies in disease development and progression including cancer, which makes this a valuable area of investigation.​​