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Toon de Kroon is an Associate Professor at Utrecht University specializing in Biomolecular Sciences, particularly in Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics. His research group focuses on understanding the principles governing membrane lipid homeostasis and identifying underlying sensor-effector modules. The group investigates various topics using the eukaryote baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) through biochemical, genetic, and chemical biological approaches, alongside lipidome analysis. A novel regulatory mechanism has been discovered that maintains a balance between bilayer and non-bilayer lipids, adapting lipid acyl chain composition in response to changes in lipid class composition and vice versa. His current research centers on the identity and molecular mechanisms of gene products involved in membrane sensing, with acyltransferases identified as crucial in determining acyl chain desaturation. This research provides new insights into the regulation of membrane fluidity and has led to the development of photoactivatable clickable phospholipid probe molecules, which are successfully utilized to discover new lipid-protein interactions in biological membranes. In addition to basic research, his work aims to improve the performance of yeast production processes involving hydrophobic substances by engineering membrane lipid composition.
Department of Psychology