Dr. Natacha Gaillard

Scientist

Paul Scherrer Institut
Forschungsstrasse 111
5232 Villigen PSI
Switzerland
Telephone
+41 56 310 44 65

Natacha Gaillard completed her PhD at the University of Strasbourg in Structural Biology under the supervision of Prof. Jean Cavarelli (IGBMC, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Strasbourg, France). In 2007 she joined the PSI (Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen, Switzerland) on the Molecular Biology High Throughput Platform as a post-doc working on kinetochore proteins. In 2011 she became Scientist in the group of Prof. Michel Steinmetz.

In 2017, with her colleague Ashwani Sharma, they initiated a new topic on infectious diseases.

Research Interests

Natacha chose the microtubule cytoskeleton as field of research. She has applied her technical skills to collaborate with several teams internally to develop several technologies for which the PSI is at the forefront of research (ex. sulfur-SAD phasing - SwissFEL for Biological samples - sample solid support for X-ray technologies) and her scientific approaches on various topics like centrosome biology, kinesin regulation and anti-cancer microtubule targeting agents.

Initiated in 2017 with the support of Novartis, Natacha Gaillard in collaboration with her colleague Ashwani Sharma, have started a new topic on infectious diseases aiming at understanding the parasite-host interaction tackling two main lines of research: study and understand the Biology of Apicomplexan parasites and identify new putative targets for drug development.

Research

2022

Expert for the Swiss Youth Research Foundation

Biology and Medicine Section.

2019

Grant SNSF Spark (Rapid Funding of unconventional Ideas)

Host cytoskeleton manipulation by Apicomplexan parasites: structural and functional investigation of the RON Complex.

Mentor for the ETH Program Fix the Leaky Pipeline

Career building program for women in Science

2017

Grant Novartis FreeNovation (funding program for unconventional and creative projects)

Towards the structure based design of broad spectrum anti-apicomplexan drugs.

Publications

Natacha Gaillard since 2022 - Previously Natacha Olieric

  • Prota AE, Lucena-Agell D, Ma Y, Estevez-Gallego J, Li S, Bargsten K, et al.
    Structural insight into the stabilization of microtubules by taxanes
    eLife. 2023; 12: e84791 (35 pp.). https://doi.org/10.7554/elife.84791
    DORA PSI
  • Wranik M, Weinert T, Slavov C, Masini T, Furrer A, Gaillard N, et al.
    Watching the release of a photopharmacological drug from tubulin using time-resolved serial crystallography
    Nature Communications. 2023; 14(1): 903 (12 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-36481-5
    DORA PSI
  • Guyomar C, Bousquet C, Ku S, Heumann JM, Guilloux G, Gaillard N, et al.
    Changes in seam number and location induce holes within microtubules assembled from porcine brain tubulin and in Xenopus egg cytoplasmic extracts
    eLife. 2022; 11: e83021 (26 pp.). https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.83021
    DORA PSI
  • Mühlethaler T, Olieric N, Ehrhard VA, Wranik M, Standfuss J, Sharma A, et al.
    Crystallization systems for the high-resolution structural analysis of tubulin-ligand complexes
    In: Inaba H, ed. Microtubules. Methods and protocols. Methods in molecular biology. New York: Humana Press; 2022:349-374. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-1983-4_23
    DORA PSI
  • Gaillard N, Sharma A, Abbaali I, Liu T, Shilliday F, Cook AD, et al.
    Inhibiting parasite proliferation using a rationally designed anti-tubulin agent
    EMBO Molecular Medicine. 2021; 13(11): e13818 (12 pp.). https://doi.org/10.15252/emmm.202013818
    DORA PSI
  • Olieric V, Weinert T, Finke AD, Anders C, Li D, Olieric N, et al.
    Data-collection strategy for challenging native SAD phasing
    Acta Crystallographica Section D: Structural Biology. 2016; 72(3): 421-429. https://doi.org/10.1107/S2059798315024110
    DORA PSI
  • Olieric N, Kuchen M, Wagen S, Sauter M, Crone S, Edmondson S, et al.
    Automated seamless DNA co-transformation cloning with direct expression vectors applying positive or negative insert selection
    BMC Biotechnology. 2010; 10: 56 (10 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6750-10-56
    DORA PSI
  • Bieniossek C, Nie Y, Frey D, Olieric N, Schaffitzel C, Collinson I, et al.
    Automated unrestricted multigene recombineering for multiprotein complex production
    Nature Methods. 2009; 6(6): 447-450. https://doi.org/10.1038/nmeth.1326
    DORA PSI
  • Mühlethaler T, Olieric N, Ehrhard VA, Wranik M, Standfuss J, Sharma A, et al.
    Crystallization systems for the high-resolution structural analysis of tubulin-ligand complexes
    In: Inaba H, ed. Microtubules. Methods and protocols. Methods in molecular biology. New York: Humana Press; 2022:349-374. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-1983-4_23
    DORA PSI
  • Gao L, Meiring JCM, Kraus Y, Wranik M, Weinert T, Pritzl SD, et al.
    A robust, GFP-orthogonal photoswitchable inhibitor scaffold extends optical control over the microtubule cytoskeleton
    Cell Chemical Biology. 2021; 28(2): 228-241. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chembiol.2020.11.007
    DORA PSI
  • Martiel I, Beale JH, Karpik A, Huang C-Y, Vera L, Olieric N, et al.
    Versatile microporous polymer-based supports for serial macromolecular crystallography
    Acta Crystallographica Section D: Structural Biology. 2021; 77(9): 1153-1167. https://doi.org/10.1107/S2059798321007324
    DORA PSI
  • Sharma A, Olieric N, Steinmetz MO
    Centriole length control
    Current Opinion in Structural Biology. 2021; 66: 89-95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbi.2020.10.011
    DORA PSI
  • Atherton J, Hummel JJA, Olieric N, Locke J, Peña A, Rosenfeld SS, et al.
    The mechanism of kinesin inhibition by kinesin binding protein
    eLife. 2020; 9: e61481 (30 pp.). https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.61481
    DORA PSI
  • Nass K, Cheng R, Vera L, Mozzanica A, Redford S, Ozerov D, et al.
    Advances in long-wavelength native phasing at X-ray free-electron lasers
    IUCrJ. 2020; 7: 965-975. https://doi.org/10.1107/S2052252520011379
    DORA PSI
  • Rodríguez-García R, Volkov VA, Chen C-Y, Katrukha EA, Olieric N, Aher A, et al.
    Mechanisms of motor-independent membrane remodeling driven by dynamic microtubules
    Current Biology. 2020; 30(6): 972-987. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2020.01.036
    DORA PSI
  • Steib E, Laporte MH, Gambarotto D, Olieric N, Zheng C, Borgers S, et al.
    WDR90 is a centriolar microtubule wall protein important for centriole architecture integrity
    eLife. 2020; 9: e57205 (28 pp.). https://doi.org/10.7554/ELIFE.57205
    DORA PSI
  • Basu S, Olieric V, Leonarski F, Matsugaki N, Kawano Y, Takashi T, et al.
    Long-wavelength native-SAD phasing: opportunities and challenges
    IUCrJ. 2019; 6(3): 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1107/S2052252519002756
    DORA PSI
  • Brindisi M, Ulivieri C, Alfano G, Gemma S, de Asís Balaguer F, Khan T, et al.
    Structure-activity relationships, biological evaluation and structural studies of novel pyrrolonaphthoxazepines as antitumor agents
    European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. 2019; 162: 290-320. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejmech.2018.11.004
    DORA PSI
  • Kashyap AS, Fernandez-Rodriguez L, Zhao Y, Monaco G, Trefny MP, Yoshida N, et al.
    GEF-H1 signaling upon microtubule destabilization is required for dendritic cell activation and specific anti-tumor responses
    Cell Reports. 2019; 28(13): 3367-3380.e1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2019.08.057
    DORA PSI
  • La Sala G, Olieric N, Sharma A, Viti F, de Asis Balaguer Perez F, Huang L, et al.
    Structure, thermodynamics, and kinetics of plinabulin binding to two tubulin isotypes
    Chem. 2019; 5(11): 2969-2986. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chempr.2019.08.022
    DORA PSI
  • Wang N, Bosc C, Ryul Choi S, Boulan B, Peris L, Olieric N, et al.
    Structural basis of tubulin detyrosination by the vasohibin–SVBP enzyme complex
    Nature Structural and Molecular Biology. 2019; 26(7): 571-582. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41594-019-0241-y
    DORA PSI
  • Aher A, Kok M, Sharma A, Rai A, Olieric N, Rodriguez-Garcia R, et al.
    CLASP suppresses microtubule catastrophes through a single TOG domain
    Developmental Cell. 2018; 46(1): 40-58.e8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2018.05.032
    DORA PSI
  • Lampert F, Stafa D, Goga A, Soste MV, Gilberto S, Olieric N, et al.
    The multi-subunit GID/CTLH e3 ubiquitin ligase promotes cell proliferation and targets the transcription factor Hbp1 for degradation
    eLife. 2018; 7: e35528 (23 pp.). https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.35528
    DORA PSI
  • Sharma A, Gerard SF, Olieric N, Steinmetz MO
    Cep120 promotes microtubule formation through a unique tubulin binding C2 domain
    Journal of Structural Biology. 2018; 203(1): 62-70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsb.2018.01.009
    DORA PSI
  • Smedley CJ, Stanley PA, Qazzaz ME, Prota AE, Olieric N, Collins H, et al.
    Sustainable syntheses of (-)-jerantinines A & E and structural characterisation of the jerantinine-tubulin complex at the colchicine binding site
    Scientific Reports. 2018; 8(1): 10617 (7 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-28880-2
    DORA PSI
  • Aeschimann W, Staats S, Kammer S, Olieric N, Jeckelmann J-M, Fotiadis D, et al.
    Self-assembled α-tocopherol transfer protein nanoparticles promote vitamin E delivery across an endothelial barrier
    Scientific Reports. 2017; 7: 4970 (13 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-05148-9
    DORA PSI
  • Hamel V, Steib E, Hamelin R, Armand F, Borgers S, Flückiger I, et al.
    Identification of Chlamydomonas central core centriolar proteins reveals a role for human WDR90 in ciliogenesis
    Current Biology. 2017; 27(16): 2486-2498. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2017.07.011
    DORA PSI
  • Sharma A, Sáez-Calvo G, Olieric N, de Asís Balaguer F, Barasoain I, Lamberth C, et al.
    Quinolin-6-yloxyacetamides are microtubule destabilizing agents that bind to the colchicine site of tubulin
    International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2017; 18(7): 1336 (11 pp.). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms18071336
    DORA PSI
  • Sáez-Calvo G, Sharma A, de Asís Balaguer F, Barasoain I, Rodríguez-Salarichs J, Olieric N, et al.
    Triazolopyrimidines are microtubule-stabilizing agents that bind the vinca inhibitor site of tubulin
    Cell Chemical Biology. 2017; 24(6): 737-750. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chembiol.2017.05.016
    DORA PSI
  • Weinert T, Olieric N, Cheng R, Brünle S, James D, Ozerov D, et al.
    Serial millisecond crystallography for routine room-temperature structure determination at synchrotrons
    Nature Communications. 2017; 8(1): 542 (11 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-00630-4
    DORA PSI
  • Bianchi S, van Riel WE, Kraatz SHW, Olieric N, Frey D, Katrukha EA, et al.
    Structural basis for misregulation of kinesin KIF21A autoinhibition by CFEOM1 disease mutations
    Scientific Reports. 2016; 6: 30668 (16 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1038/srep30668
    DORA PSI
  • Kevenaar JT, Bianchi S, van Spronsen M, Olieric N, Lipka J, Frias CP, et al.
    Kinesin-binding protein controls microtubule dynamics and cargo trafficking by regulating kinesin motor activity
    Current Biology. 2016; 26(7): 849-861. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2016.01.048
    DORA PSI
  • Kraatz S, Guichard P, Obbineni JM, Olieric N, Hatzopoulos GN, Hilbert M, et al.
    The human centriolar protein CEP135 contains a two-stranded coiled-coil domain critical for microtubule binding
    Structure. 2016; 24(8): 1358-1371. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.str.2016.06.011
    DORA PSI
  • Olieric V, Weinert T, Finke AD, Anders C, Li D, Olieric N, et al.
    Data-collection strategy for challenging native SAD phasing
    Acta Crystallographica Section D: Structural Biology. 2016; 72(3): 421-429. https://doi.org/10.1107/S2059798315024110
    DORA PSI
  • Wieczorek M, Tcherkezian J, Bernier C, Prota AE, Chaaban S, Rolland Y, et al.
    The synthetic diazonamide DZ-2384 has distinct effects on microtubule curvature and dynamics without neurotoxicity
    Science Translational Medicine. 2016; 8(365): 365ra159 (14 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.aag1093
    DORA PSI
  • Guichard P, Hachet V, Majubu N, Neves A, Demurtas D, Olieric N, et al.
    Native architecture of the centriole proximal region reveals features underlying its 9-fold radial symmetry
    Current Biology. 2013; 23(17): 1620-1628. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2013.06.061
    DORA PSI
  • Kitagawa D, Vakonakis I, Olieric N, Hilbert M, Keller D, Olieric V, et al.
    Structural basis of the 9-fold symmetry of centrioles
    Cell. 2011; 144(3): 364 (12 pp.)-375. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2011.01.008
    DORA PSI
  • Olieric N, Kuchen M, Wagen S, Sauter M, Crone S, Edmondson S, et al.
    Automated seamless DNA co-transformation cloning with direct expression vectors applying positive or negative insert selection
    BMC Biotechnology. 2010; 10: 56 (10 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6750-10-56
    DORA PSI
  • Bieniossek C, Nie Y, Frey D, Olieric N, Schaffitzel C, Collinson I, et al.
    Automated unrestricted multigene recombineering for multiprotein complex production
    Nature Methods. 2009; 6(6): 447-450. https://doi.org/10.1038/nmeth.1326
    DORA PSI