IFIB – Interfakultäres Institut für Biochemie

Dr. Katia Cosentino

Postdoctoral Researcher

Research Areas

Biophysics of membrane proteins, cell membrane models, advanced high resolution microscopy/single molecule imaging; regulated cell death.

Fields of Interest

Quantitative single molecule imaging, molecular mechanisms of protein assembly, protein stoichiometry, total internal fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy, pore forming proteins, apoptosis, pyroptosis, regulated cell death, nanoscopic characterization of membrane/protein topology, atomic force microscopy and spectroscopy

CV Synopsis

2018 – present

“Eliteprogramm” Fellow funded by the Baden-Württemberg Stiftung at IFIB (Interfaculty Institute of Biochemistry), University of Tübingen, Germany

2014 – 2018

Senior postdoctoral researcher at Max-Planck for Intelligent Systems (2014-2015) and IFIB (Interfaculty Institute of Biochemistry), University of Tübingen, Germany

2013

Postdoctoral researcher at DKFZ (German Cancer Research Center), Heidelberg, Germany

2011 – 2012

Postdoctoral researcher at INSERM (National Institute of Health and Medical Research), Marseille, France

2007 – 2010

Ph.D. at the University of Calabria, Department of Chemistry, Cosenza, Italy

Fellowships and awards

  • Grant from the “Eliteprogramm für Postdocs der Baden-Württemberg Stiftung”,  Tübingen, Germany (March 2018- Feb 2021).
  • Grant from the “Excellence Initiative” program for the promotion of junior researchers (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, ZUK 63), Tübingen, Germany (Aug 2014- Dec 2015).
  • Max-Planck postdoctoral Fellowship, Tübingen, Germany (Feb 2014- March 2015).
  • DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst) Fellowship (Jan-May 2013).
  • Travel grant at the Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zürich, Switzerland (April-Oct 2009).
  • Ph.D. Fellowship from the University of Calabria, Italy (2007-2010).
  • Best graduate in Chemistry academic year 2006/2007 University of Calabria, Italy (2008).
  • Degree prize for excellence (Master), University of Calabria, Italy (2008).
  • Undergraduate fellowship, University of Calabria, Italy (2003-2007).
  • Degree prize for excellence (Bachelor), University of Calabria, Italy (2006).
  •  “Fondazione Calabria Scienza Oggi” prize, University of Calabria, Italy (2002-2007).

Publication List

  • Cosentino K. & García‐Sáez A. J. “MIM through MOM: the awakening of Bax and Bak pores”, The EMBO Journal, (2018).
  • Fasanella A., Cosentino K., Beneduci A., Chidichimo G., Cazzanelli E., Barberi R.C., Castriota M. “Thermal structural evolutions of DMPC-water biomimetic systems investigated by Raman Spectroscopy”, BBA Biomembranes, 1860, 1253-1258 (2018).
  • Cosentino K. & García-Sáez A. J. “Bax and Bak pores: are we closing the circle?” , Trends in Cell Biology, 27 , 266 – 275 (2017).
  • Unsay J. D.*, Cosentino K.*, Sporbeck K. & García-Sáez A. J. “Pro-apoptotic cBid and Bax exhibit distinct membrane remodeling activities: An AFM Study”, BBA Biomembranes, 1859, 17-27 (2017).
  • Salvador-Gallego R., Mund M., Cosentino K., Schneider J., Unsay J., Engelhardt J., Ries J. and García-Sáez A. J. et al. “Bax assembly into rings and arcs in apoptotic mitochondria is linked to membrane pores”, The EMBO Journal 35, 389-401, (2016).
  • Cosentino K., Ros U. & García-Sáez A. J. “Assembling the puzzle: Oligomerization of α-pore forming proteins in membranes”, Invited review, Biochimica et biophysica acta 1858, 457-466, (2016).
  • Subburaj Y.*, Cosentino K.*, Axmann M., Pedrueza-Villalmanzo E., Hermann E., Bleicken S., Spatz J. and García-Sáez A. J. “Bax monomers form dimer units in the membrane that further self-assemble into multiple oligomeric species”, Nat. Commun., 6, (2015). Unsay, J.D., Cosentino K. and García-Sáez A. J. “Atomic Force Microscopy Imaging and Force Spectroscopy of Supported Lipid Bilayers”, JoVE, p. e52867, (2015).
  • Cosentino, K., Bleicken, S. and García-Sáez, A. J. “Analysis of Membrane-Protein Complexes by Single-Molecule Methods” in Pumps, Channels, and Transporters 269-297, John Wiley & Sons, Inc, (2015).
  • Cosentino K. and García-Sáez A. J. “Mitochondria alteration in apoptosis”, Invited review, Chemistry and Physics of Lipids, 181, pp. 62-75, (2014).
  • Beneduci A., Cosentino K., Massa R., Romeo S., Chidichimo G. “Effect of millimetre waves on phosphatidylcholine membrane models: a non-thermal mechanism of interaction”, Soft Matter, 10, pp. 5559-5567, (2014).
  • Cosentino K.1, Beneduci A., Ramundo-Orlando A., Chidichimo G. “The influence of millimetre waves on physical properties of large and giant unilamellar vesicles”, Journal of Biological Physics, 39, pp. 395-410, (2013).
  • Unsay J. D., Cosentino K., Subburaj Y., and García-Sáez A. J. “Cardiolipin effects on membrane structure and dynamics”, Langmuir, 29, pp. 15878–15887, (2013).
  • Beneduci A., Cosentino K., and Chidichimo G. “High frequency microwaves affects membrane hydration in phosphatidylcholine vesicles”, Materials, 6, pp. 2701 – 2712, (2013).
  • Beneduci A., Filippelli L., Cosentino K., Calabrese M., Massa R., and Chidichimo G. “Microwave induced shift of the phase transition in phosphatidylcholine membranes”, Bioelectrochemistry, 84, pp. 18-24, (2012).
  • Walde P., Cosentino K., Engel H., Stano P. “Giant vesicles: preparations and applications”, ChemBioChem, 11, pp. 848-865, (2010).
  • Cataldo M., Cosentino K. , Ramundo-Orlando A. , "Preparation of lipid vesicles". In Advanced Topics in Cell Model Systems, Macagnano A. eds, Ramundo-Orlando A. eds, Farrelly F. A. eds, Petri A. eds, Girasole M. eds, Hauppauge (NY, USA): Nova Science Pub. Inc., 2009, pp. 75-81.

* First author equal Contribution, 1Corresponding author.

Patents

  • Cosentino K., De Meo M., Combet-Blanc Y. and Viallat A. “DNA capsules: an internal standard for assays using micro-electrophoresis”, EP13305653.1, filed on May 21th, 2013.