Phosphoinositides (PIs) are a group of phospholipids that are concentrated at cytosolic leaflet of cellular membranes. PIs play essential roles in a broad spectrum of cellular processes including defining intracellular organelle identity, cell signaling, proliferation, cytoskeleton organization, and membrane trafficking. Our lab is particularly interested in the role of PIs in membrane trafficking.
Other the other hand, interference of the temporal and spatial distribution of intracellular PIs often leads to abnormal cellular functions, which has been capitalized by virulent invaders. Along this line, our laboratory are also interested in investigating how the host PI system is exploited by the intracellular bacterial pathogen, Legionella pneumophila.