Isaac Wong

I am currently studying the biogenesis and biophysical properties of non-membrane bound organelles at the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology. I earned my DPhil in Molecular Cell Biology in Health and Disease under the supervision of Jordan Raff, focusing primarily on understanding the mechanisms behind centriole and centrosome biogenesis.

One of the significant breakthroughs from my DPhil research was the discovery that centrioles initiate a spike in Polo/PLK1 activity. This surge plays a pivotal role in triggering the assembly of the mitotic Pericentriolar Material (PCM) just before mitosis starts. This revelation offers a compelling explanation for the universal requirement of Polo/PLK1 kinase in orchestrating mitotic PCM assembly. Additionally, my recent findings indicate that the Cdk/Cyclins can modulate this Polo/PLK1 pulse by phosphorylating the PCM, subsequently limiting its ability to recruit downstream proteins. On a parallel note, I've discovered that Cdk/Cyclins also target Ana2, a vital component of the centriole, inhibiting centriole assembly towards the latter stages of S-phase. This explains why daughter centrioles are predominantly assembled during the S-phase and not mitosis.

For those intrigued by my work, I invite you to explore my published studies on my Google Scholar profile. If you wish to delve deeper or collaborate, please don’t hesitate to get in touch at isaac.wong@path.ox.ac.uk.