Prof Viji Draviam Sastry
Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology
School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences
Queen Mary University of London
Queen Mary University of London
Research
Cell division, Cytoskeleton, Genomic Instability, Proteomics, Genomic variants, Cancer cell biology
Publications
2024
Islam A, Manjarrez-González JC, Song X, Gore T and Draviam VM (2024). Search for chromosomal instability aiding variants reveal naturally occurring kinetochore gene variants that perturb chromosome segregation. iScience, Elsevier vol. 27 (3) 26-01-2024
2023
Chai B, Efstathiou C, Yue H and Draviam VM (2023). Opportunities and challenges for deep learning in cell dynamics research. Trends in Cell Biology, Elsevier 01-11-2023
Dang D, Efstathiou C, Sun D, Yue H, Sastry NR and Draviam VM (2023). Deep learning techniques and mathematical modeling allow 3D analysis of mitotic spindle dynamics. Journal of Cell Biology, Rockefeller University Press vol. 222 (5) 02-03-2023
2021
Song X, Conti D, Shrestha RL, Braun D and Draviam VM (2021). Counteraction between Astrin-PP1 and Cyclin-B-CDK1 pathways protects chromosome-microtubule attachments independent of biorientation. Nature Communications, Springer Nature vol. 12 (1) 01-12-2021
Efstathiou C and Draviam VM (2021). Electrically tunable lenses - Eliminating mechanical axial movements during high-speed 3D live imaging. Journal of Cell Science, Company of Biologists vol. 134 (16) 01-08-2021
Hart M, Adams SD and Draviam VM (2021). Multinucleation associated DNA damage blocks proliferation in p53-compromised cells. Communications Biology, Springer Nature vol. 4 (1) 09-04-2021
2019
Conti D, Gul P, Islam A, Martín-Durán JM, Pickersgill RW and Draviam VM (2019). Kinetochores attached to microtubule-ends are stabilised by astrin bound pp1 to ensure proper chromosome segregation. eLife, eLife Sciences Publications Ltd vol. 8 24-12-2019
Hart M, Zulkipli I, Shrestha RL, Dang D, Conti D, Gul P, Kujawiak I and Draviam VM (2019). MARK2/Par1b kinase present at centrosomes and retraction fibres corrects spindle off-centring induced by actin disassembly. Open Biology, The Royal Society vol. 9 (6) 26-06-2019
2018
Zulkipli I, Clark J, HART M, Shrestha R, GUL P, DANG D, Kasichiwin T, Kujawiak I, SASTRY N and DRAVIAM VM (2018). Spindle rotation in human cells is reliant on a MARK2-mediated equatorial spindle centering mechanism. Journal of Cell Biology, Rockefeller University Press 25-06-2018
2017
Zulkipli I, Shrestha RL, Clark J and Draviam VM (2017). Proper rotation of the mitotic spindle requires an equatorial spindle centering mechanism in human cells. ASCB. 15-12-2017
Shrestha RL, Conti D, Tamura N, Braun D, Ramalingam RA, Cieslinski K, Ries J and Draviam VM (2017). Aurora-B kinase pathway controls the lateral to end-on conversion of kinetochore-microtubule attachments in human cells. Nat Commun, Macmillan Publishers Limited, part of Springer Nature. vol. 8 (1), 150-150. 28-07-2017
Conti D, Hart M, Tamura N, Shrestha R, Islam A and Draviam VM (2017). How are Dynamic Microtubules Stably Tethered to Human Chromosomes? Cytoskeleton - Structure, Dynamics, Function and Disease 17-05-2017
Conti D, Cieslinski KA, Ries J and Draviam VM (2017). Outer kinetochore phosphatases-PP2A-B56 and PP1-differently contribute to the establishment of chromosome-microtubule attachments. 01-01-2017
2016
Patel H, Stavrou I, Shrestha RL, Draviam V, Frame MC and Brunton VG (2016). Kindlin1 regulates microtubule function to ensure normal mitosis. Journal of Molecular Cell Biology, Oxford University Press (OUP) vol. 8 (4), 338-348. 19-08-2016
Hiroi N, Draviam VM and Funahashi A (2016). Editorial: Quantitative Biology: Dynamics of Living Systems. Front Physiol, Frontiers Media SA vol. 7 02-06-2016
2015
Iorio F, Shrestha RL, Levin N, Boilot V, Garnett MJ, Saez-Rodriguez J and Draviam VM (2015). A Semi-Supervised Approach for Refining Transcriptional Signatures of Drug Response and Repositioning Predictions. PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science (PLoS) vol. 10 (10) 09-10-2015
Corrigan AM, Shrestha R, Draviam VM and Donald AM (2015). Modeling of Noisy Spindle Dynamics Reveals Separable Contributions to Achieving Correct Orientation. Biophysical Journal, Elsevier vol. 109 (7), 1398-1409. 01-10-2015
Tamura N, Simon JE, Nayak A, Shenoy R, Hiroi N, Boilot V, Funahashi A and Draviam VM (2015). A proteomic study of mitotic phase-specific interactors of EB1 reveals a role for SXIP-mediated protein interactions in anaphase onset. Biology Open, The Company of Biologists vol. 4 (2), 155-169. 16-01-2015
Ochi T, Blackford AN, Coates J, Jhujh S, Mehmood S, Tamura N, Travers J, Wu Q, Draviam VM, Robinson CV, Blundell TL and Jackson SP (2015). PAXX, a paralog of XRCC4 and XLF, interacts with Ku to promote DNA double-strand break repair. Science, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) vol. 347 (6218), 185-188. 09-01-2015
Nakai Y, Ozeki M, Hiraiwa T, Tanimoto R, Funahashi A, Hiroi N, Taniguchi A, Nonaka S, Boilot V, Shrestha R, Clark J, Tamura N, Draviam VM and Oku H (2015). High-speed microscopy with an electrically tunable lens to image the dynamics of in vivo molecular complexes. Review of Scientific Instruments, AIP Publishing vol. 86 (1) 01-01-2015
2014
Chin HMS, Nandra K, Clark J and Draviam VM (2014). Need for multi-scale systems to identify spindle orientation regulators relevant to tissue disorganization in solid cancers. Frontiers in Physiology, Frontiers vol. 5 25-07-2014
Shrestha RL, Tamura N, Fries A, Levin N, Clark J and Draviam VM (2014). TAO1 kinase maintains chromosomal stability by facilitating proper congression of chromosomes. Open Biology, The Royal Society vol. 4 (6) 01-06-2014
Shrestha RL and Draviam VM (2014). Lateral to End-on Conversion of Chromosome-Microtubule Attachment Requires Kinesins CENP-E and MCAK. 01-01-2014
2013
Shrestha RL and Draviam VM (2013). Lateral to End-on Conversion of Chromosome-Microtubule Attachment Requires Kinesins CENP-E and MCAK. Current Biology, Elsevier vol. 23 (23), 2440-2441. 01-12-2013
Corrigan AM, Shrestha RL, Zulkipli I, Hiroi N, Liu Y, Tamura N, Yang B, Patel J, Funahashi A, Donald A and Draviam VM (2013). Automated tracking of mitotic spindle pole positions shows that LGN is required for spindle rotation but not orientation maintenance. Cell Cycle, Taylor & Francis vol. 12 (16), 2643-2655. 15-08-2013
Shrestha RL and Draviam VM (2013). Lateral to End-on Conversion of Chromosome-Microtubule Attachment Requires Kinesins CENP-E and MCAK. Current Biology, Elsevier vol. 23 (16), 1514-1526. 25-07-2013
Draviam VM, Funahashi A, Hiroi N, Kimura A and Kobayashi TJ (2013). Meeting report of the International Workshop on Quantitative Biology 2012: mesoscopic and microscopic worlds meet. Frontiers in Physiology, Frontiers vol. 3 01-01-2013
2012
Tamura N and Draviam VM (2012). Microtubule plus-ends within a mitotic cell are ‘moving platforms’ with anchoring, signalling and force-coupling roles. Open Biology, The Royal Society vol. 2 (11) 01-11-2012
Tamura N, Shrestha RL and Draviam VM (2012). Microtubule-end bound complexes power chromosome movement during chromosome segregation. 01-01-2012
Shrestha RL and Draviam VM (2012). TAO1 maintains genome integrity by mediating the timely maturation of chromosome attachments made to lateral walls of microtubules. 01-01-2012
2011
Shrestha RL, Tamura N, Zulkipli I and Draviam VM (2011). A mechanism linking microtubule destabilisation to maturation of chromosome-microtubule attachments. 01-01-2011
2009
Pagliuca C, Draviam VM, Marco E, Sorger PK and De Wulf P (2009). Roles for the Conserved Spc105p/Kre28p Complex in Kinetochore-Microtubule Binding and the Spindle Assembly Checkpoint. PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science (PLoS) vol. 4 (10) 28-10-2009
McAinsh AD, Meraldi P, Draviam VM, Toso A and Sorger PK (2009). The human kinetochore proteins Nnf1R and Mcm21R are required for accurate chromosome segregation. The EMBO Journal, Springer Nature vol. 28 (9), 1374-1374. 06-05-2009
2008
Foijer F, Draviam VM and Sorger PK (2008). Studying chromosome instability in the mouse. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, Elsevier vol. 1786 (1), 73-82. 26-07-2008
2007
Stegmeier F, Rape M, Draviam VM, Nalepa G, Sowa ME, Ang XL, McDonald ER, Li MZ, Hannon GJ, Sorger PK, Kirschner MW, Harper JW and Elledge SJ (2007). Anaphase initiation is regulated by antagonistic ubiquitination and deubiquitination activities. Nature vol. 447 (7141), 876-881. 10-05-2007
Draviam VM, Stegmeier F, Nalepa G, Sowa ME, Chen J, Liang A, Hannon GJ, Sorger PK, Harper JW and Elledge SJ (2007). A functional genomic screen identifies a role for TAO1 kinase in spindle-checkpoint signalling. Nature Cell Biology, Springer Nature vol. 9 (5), 556-564. 08-04-2007
Stegmeier F, Rape M, Draviam VM, Nalepa G, Sowa ME, Ang XL, McDonald III ER, Li MZ, Hannon GJ, Sorger PK, Kirschner MW, Harper JW and Elledge SJ (2007). Anaphase initiation is regulated by antagonistic ubiquitination and deubiquitination activities. Nature, Springer Nature vol. 446 (7138), 876-881. 01-04-2007
Basto R, Gergely F, Draviam VM, Ohkura H, Liley K and Raff JW (2007). Hsp90 is required to localise cyclin B and Msps/ch-TOG to the mitotic spindle in Drosophila and humans. Journal of Cell Science, The Company of Biologists vol. 120 (7), 1278-1287. 01-04-2007
2006
McAinsh AD, Meraldi P, Draviam VM, Toso A and Sorger PK (2006). The human kinetochore proteins Nnf1R and Mcm21R are required for accurate chromosome segregation. The EMBO Journal, Springer Nature vol. 25 (17), 4033-4049. 24-08-2006
Draviam VM, Shapiro I, Aldridge B and Sorger PK (2006). Misorientation and reduced stretching of aligned sister kinetochores promote chromosome missegregation in EB1‐ or APC‐depleted cells. The EMBO Journal, Springer Nature vol. 25 (12), 2814-2827. 08-06-2006
Draviam VM, Stegmeier F, Nalepa G, Sowa M, Hannon G, Harper W, Elledge S and Sorger P (2006). Functional Genomic Screen Reveals the Role of a Novel Checkpoint Kinase, TAO1 in Mitosis and Cell Cycle Progression. 01-01-2006
2004
Meraldi P, Draviam VM and Sorger PK (2004). Timing and Checkpoints in the Regulation of Mitotic Progression. Developmental Cell, Elsevier vol. 7 (1), 45-60. 01-07-2004
Draviam VM, Xie S and Sorger PK (2004). Chromosome segregation and genomic stability. Current Opinion in Genetics & Development, Elsevier vol. 14 (2), 120-125. 01-04-2004
2003
Gergely F, Draviam VM and Raff JW (2003). The ch-TOG/XMAP215 protein is essential for spindle pole organization in human somatic cells. Genes & Development, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory vol. 17 (3), 336-341. 01-02-2003
2001
Draviam VM, Orrechia S, Lowe M, Pardi R and Pines J (2001). The Localization of Human Cyclins B1 and B2 Determines Cdk1 Substrate Specificity and Neither Enzyme Requires Mek to Disassemble the Golgi Apparatus. Journal of Cell Biology, Rockefeller University Press vol. 152 (5), 945-958. 05-03-2001
Grants
Grants of specific relevance to the Centre for Evolutionary and Functional GenomicsCooperativity and forces in molecular interactions governing chromosome stabilityVladimir Volkov and Viji Draviam Sastry
£717,413 BBSRC Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (20-11-2023 - 19-11-2026)
How are mono-oriented chromosome-microtubule attachments protected to prevent errors in mitosis and associated cellular ageing?Viji Draviam Sastry
£403,926 BBSRC Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (28-11-2022 - 27-11-2025)
Joint-PhD Studentship with Carl ZeissViji Draviam Sastry
£40,227 Carl Zeiss Ltd (01-10-2022 - 30-09-2025)
Harmonised IAA grant - Improve and accelerate the impact of QMUL research BBSRCDavid Lee and Viji Draviam Sastry
£350,000 BBSRC Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (01-04-2022 - 31-03-2025)
The Lexicon of miRISC: Deconstructing the functional complexity of the miRNA induced silencing complexTyson Sharp, Faraz Mardakheh, Jun Wang and Viji Draviam Sastry
£527,571 BBSRC Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (01-01-2022 - 31-12-2024)
UK-China partnership: Chromosomal Instability aiding Genetic Variants (CIVa) linked to human ageingViji Draviam Sastry and Jose Martin Duran
£23,873 BBSRC Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (01-08-2021 - 31-07-2024)
A confocal microscope for multidisciplinary dynamic studies of complex biological systemsConrad Mullineaux, Caroline Brennan, Alexandre De Mendoza Soler, Viji Draviam Sastry, Maurice Elphick, Christoph Engl, Maria Isabel Palacios De Castro, Matteo Palma, Marina Resmini, Alexander Ruban, Peter Thorpe, Angelika Stollewerk, Jose Martin Duran, Paulo Baptista Ribeiro, Susana Alves Godinho, Richard Grose, Stephanie Kermorgant, Peter McCormick and Tyson Sharp
£390,834 BBSRC Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (01-08-2022 - 31-07-2023)
KTP Project with Zeiss- Generalisation of SpinX software (Deep Learning based system and 3D modellingViji Draviam Sastry and Jose Martin Duran
£142,038 Innovate UK (01-11-2021 - 30-04-2023)
KTP Capacity Building Competition 2022Akram Alomainy, Gregory Slabaugh, Alastair Noyce, Vahitha Abdul Salam and Viji Draviam Sastry
£34,544 Innovate UK (01-12-2022 - 31-03-2023)
Highthroughput Light Sheet Microscopy: Imaging Across ScalesViji Draviam Sastry, Caroline Brennan, Vidya Darbari, Jose Martin Duran, Ivan Kadurin, Maria Isabel Palacios De Castro, Richard Pickersgill, Sarah McClelland, Tyson Sharp and Martin Knight
£386,205 MRC Medical Research Council (01-10-2022 - 31-03-2023)
Protecting Chromosome Number: how cells establish, monitor and maintain chromosome-microtubule interaction?Viji Draviam Sastry
£406,947 BBSRC Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (01-05-2018 - 31-12-2022)