Martina Lerche studied how the crosstalk between the extracellular matrix (ECM) and integrin adhesion receptors regulate cell behavior. The studies were carried out under the supervision of Professor Johanna Ivaska in the Cell Adhesion and Cancer Lab at Turku Bioscience. In her thesis work, Lerche found that the integrin activity inhibitor SHARPIN is an important regulator of ECM remodeling in the developing mammary gland by regulating the levels of the collagen-binding integrin α11β1. Furthermore, the thesis work identified an ECM ligand-dependent polarized secretion of newly synthesized integrin α5 to the plasma membrane where the integrins can play an active part in mechanotransduction.

PhD dissertation in electronic form

Press release (in Finnish)