Sylvain Tollis

I began my academic career in theoretical condensed matter physics, where I predicted new phases of matter in superconducting junctions. Then I moved towards biophysics to study phagocytosis and bacterial chemotaxis in Robert Endres’ laboratory (Imperial College London) .During this experience, I improved my knowledge of biological systems and developed a strong interest for the self-organized molecular choreography that gives rise to the cell division cycle. I started studying the cell cycle in yeast with Derek McCusker in Bordeaux. There, I demonstrated that mother cells prepare the emergence of their daughters via the spatial coordination of opposing membrane trafficking activities, endocytosis and exocytosis. I was then fortunate to find an additional training opportunity in experimental molecular and cell biology, genetics, and advanced microscopy with Mike Tyers, a world leader in eukaryotic cell cycle research in Montreal. There, I positioned my research in the broader context of biological systems scaling. My main current interests are in advanced fluorescence microscopy, mathematical modeling, and quantitative cell biology. In particular, I am fascinated by the outstanding questions of how a cell takes the decision to divide into two cells, this so peculiar trait of living things. How did evolution shape cell division cycle pathways to adjust the biophysical features of each cell type to its particular functions or environment?