Pieta Mattila
InFLAMES Group Leader, Adjunct Professor
MediCity Research Laboratories, Turku Bioscience Centre pieta.mattila@utu.fi +358 29 450 4431 Tykistökatu 6 Turku ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2805-0686 |
Immunology
B cells
Antigen receptor signaling
Cell biology
Actin cytoskeleton
Plasma membrane
Advanced microscopy
Education:
MSc in Biochemistry 2002 (University of Oulu, Finland)
PhD in Genetics 2008 (University of Helsinki)
Postdoc: Cancer Research UK, London Research Institute 2008-2012
Adjunct Professor: 2014
Group leader in the InFLAMES research flagship 2022-> (University of Turku)
Academy of Finland Research Fellow 2016-2022 (University of Turku)
B lymphocytes are key cells in mounting the adaptive immune response by differentiating into antibody secreting plasma cells. Our group is interested in the molecular mechanisms of B lymphocyte activation, with emphasis on receptor activation and its immediate cell biological responses, culminating at the reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton, plasma membrane and intracellular vesicle traffic. In our research, we take advantage of both in vivo models and various advanced imaging techniques, including super-resolution microscopy, as well as modern proteomic approaches such as APEX2 proximity biotinylation.
More information about our projects, including our publications, can be found at: http://mattilalab.utu.fi.
I am lecturing on various Master’s and PhD level courses on topics including the adaptive immune system, cell signaling, cytoskeleton, and microscopy. I have been involved in designing new courses targeted for PhD students and postdocs. I have done University Pedagogics 1 course to develop my pedagogic skills. At every day level, I am supervising
doctoral students, postdocs, as well as guide Master’s thesis projects.
- Filopodia: molecular architecture and cellular functions (2008)
- Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Mechanism and biological role of profilin-Srv2/CAP interaction (2007)
- Journal of Cell Science
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Missing-in-metastasis and IRSp53 deform PI(4,5)P-2-rich membranes by an inverse BAR domain-like mechanism (2007)
- Journal of Cell Biology
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - A high-affinity interaction with ADP-actin monomers underlies the mechanism and in vivo function of Srv2/cyclase-associated protein (2004)
- Molecular Biology of the Cell
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - (2004)
- Molecular Biology of the CellJournal of Biological Chemistry
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Mouse MIM, a tissue-specific regulator of cytoskeletal dynamics, interacts with ATP-actin monomers through its C-terminal WH2 domain (2003)
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - The three mouse actin-depolymerizing factor/cofilins evolved to fulfill cell-type-specific requirements for actin dynamics (2002)
- Molecular Biology of the Cell
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - WH2 domain: a small, versatile adapter for actin monomers (2002)
- FEBS Letters
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Twinfilin is required for actin-dependent developmental processes in Drosophila (2001)
- Journal of Cell Biology
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)



