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Sphingolipids and Membrane Domains

Research Goal

Sphingolipids are relatively minor components of cell membranes, but the last two decades have witnessed an increased interest in these molecules, and particularly the simplest of them ceramide and sphingosine, due to (a) their proposed role in cell signalling, and (b) their unusual biophysical properties. The latter include the tendency of ceramides to form non-lamellar structures, to permeabilise bilayers, and to promote transbilayer (flip-flop) motion of lipids. These properties were discovered in our lab. More recently we have characterised the interaction of ceramide and cholesterol, and the formation of gel-phase structures containing ceramide and cholesterol that could exist in cell membranes.

Group leader

Félix M. Goñi

ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6270-9216
Phone +34 946 01 2542
Address

Biofisika Institute (CSIC, EHU)
Science Park of the EHU
Barrio Sarriena s/n. 48940 Leioa, Bizkaia (Spain)

Sphingolipids and Membrane Domains Laboratory

Group members

Publications