Hi! I’m Srilakshmi Ranjith, a cell biologist from India,  with a deep love for understanding how life is sustained and how it works at the most fundamental level.  I completed my Integrated Master’s at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), where I explored how proteins like STIL and SAS6 regulate microtubule nucleation and centriole biogenesis, using siRNA knockdowns and expansion microscopy.

Outside the lab, I’m passionate about science communication—especially making complex ideas accessible through storytelling. I also enjoy cooking and getting lost in a good crime thriller.

As an MSCA Doctoral candidate, I’m excited to dive into the world of cilia biology, collaborate across borders and disciplines, and contribute to a vibrant scientific community, both in research and in public dialogue.

Investigation of vesicle trafficking to the primary using advanced microscopy and AI-based image analysis

DC11 will investigate microtubule-based vesicle trafficking pathways responsible for the delivery of transmembrane proteins, such as the cation channel polycystin-2 (PC2), to the primary cilium of kidney epithelial cells. This will be done by (1) Mapping the three-dimensional organization of the microtubule network in polarized kidney epithelium cells using Expansion Microscopy; (2) Using 3D live imaging with Lattice Light Sheet and Spinning Disk microscopy combined with AI-based analysis of vesicle trajectories to determine the trafficking pathways of transmembrane proteins such as PC2 to the cilium; (3) Investigating the consequences of perturbing specific trafficking steps in ciliary targeting by using inducible motor recruitment assays and rapid protein degradation approaches.