Toronto Metropolitan University · Department of Chemistry & Biology

Antonescu
Lab

Principal Investigator: Dr. Costin Antonescu

We are a cell biology laboratory interested in fundamental cellular processes that when disrupted contribute to cancer progression. We study a number of dynamic nanoscale molecular assemblies such as clathrin structures, receptor complexes, and lipid remodeling structures, which control signaling and membrane traffic. In turn, these regulate cell proliferation, growth and migration.

22
Lab Members
54
Publications
6
Research Themes
2011
Founded
Featured Microscopy Images
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We study a number of dynamic nanoscale molecular assemblies such as clathrin structures, receptor complexes, and lipid remodeling structures, which control signaling and membrane traffic. In turn, these regulate cell proliferation, growth and migration.

We are interested in how these dynamic molecular assemblies are regulated by chemical, mechanical and metabolic cues, and how they can be therapeutically controlled for cancer treatment and targeted drug delivery.

What We Study

Our lab investigates membrane biology and cell signaling through six interconnected research themes, combining quantitative microscopy, biochemistry, and chemical biology.

Our Team

A diverse group of scientists united by curiosity, rigour, and a commitment to collaborative research.

Dr. Costin Antonescu
Principal Investigator

Dr. Costin Antonescu

Professor and Chair, Department of Chemistry & Biology · Toronto Metropolitan University

Dr. Antonescu received his PhD from the University of Toronto in 2008 and completed postdoctoral training at The Scripps Research Institute under the supervision of Dr. Sandra Schmid. He joined Toronto Metropolitan University in 2011. His lab studies dynamic nanoscale molecular assemblies that control cell signaling and membrane traffic, and how disruption of these processes contributes to cancer progression.

Postdoctoral Fellow
Tim Walker

Tim Walker

Postdoctoral Fellow

Effects of Substrate Stiffness on EGFR Signalling

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PhD Students
Name

John Abousawan

PhD Student LinkedIn
Name

Karolina Zak

PhD Student LinkedIn
Name

Diana Schwendener-Forkel

PhD Student LinkedIn
Name

Jayde Casimir Powell

PhD Student LinkedIn
Name

Eleanor Cloves

PhD Student

Mitochondrial Stress and Survival in Cancer Therapy

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Name

Osemudiamen Ibazebo

PhD Student LinkedIn
Name

Natalie Uzynski

PhD Student

Nanoscale spatial organization of signaling proteins at the plasma membrane

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Name

Kseniia Golik

PhD Student

Clathrin signalosomes modulation of Akt isoform activation

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Name

Cristina Camardi

PhD Student

Phosphoinositide acyl chain remodeling in cell signaling dynamics

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Master's Students
Name

Sahar Kamil

MSc Student

Cell-surface Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Regulation

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Maryam Hadi

MSc Student

Cellular Adaptation Responses to Metabolic Stress

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Nada Mayassi

MSc Student (Incoming)

Cell signalling dynamics in cancer cells

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Research Associate & Lab Manager
Name

Ayshin Mehrabi

Research Associate / Lab Manager

Organelle-Organelle Interactions under Metabolic Stress

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Undergraduate Researchers
Name

Katherine Moncada Hernandez

Undergraduate

Mitochondria Dynamics under Metabolic Stress

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Name

Laith Ketranji

Undergraduate

Metabolic stress–regulated endosomal dynamics

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Name

Nazia Chowdhury

Undergraduate

Phosphoinositide Acyl Composition in Cell Adhesion and Migration

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Shreya Negah

Undergraduate

Signaling Pathways Implicated in Neuroblastoma

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Tiana Clarke

Undergraduate

Exploring LYCAT acyltransferase activity during epithelial-mesenchymal transition

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Mathumitha Logathas

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Abhishek Vijay Barot

Undergraduate

Durg Therapies Targeting The EGFR-Metabolism Axis In Cancer

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Alumni — We are proud of our lab alumni who have gone on to positions at leading institutions. A full alumni list is available upon request.

Selected Publications

A selection of our recent work. For a complete list, see Google Scholar.

2025
Mehrabi A, Orofiamma LA, Ivanova A, Allison K, Uzynski N, Narciso M, Antonescu CN
bioRxiv · 2025 · doi: 10.1101/2025.10.26.684630
2025
Zak K, Dave N, Mehrabi A, Sugiyama MG, Antonescu CN
bioRxiv · 2025 · doi: 10.1101/2025.10.24.684344
2025
Rahmani S, Huestis M, Wakarchuk WW, Antonescu CN
bioRxiv · 2025 · doi: 10.1101/2025.10.24.684323
2025
Orofiamma LA, Delos Santos RC, Mehrabi A, Leshchyshyn N, Hesketh GG, Rahmani S, Patel A, Fekri F, Ata R, Ratcliffe CDH, Crupi MJF, Mulligan L, Park M, Gingras AC, Antonescu CN
iScience · 2025 Aug;28(8):113131 · doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.113131
2025
Stilwell J, Savaya DA, Sakarya E, Ferworn C, Cloves E, Botelho RJ, Antonescu CN
Scientific Reports · 2025;15(1):29817
2024
Chan V, Camardi C, Zhang K, Orofiamma LA, Anderson KE, Hoque J, Antonescu CN
Molecular Biology of the Cell · 2024;35(9):ar118 · doi: 10.1091/mbc.E24-02-0083
2024
Schwendener Forkel D, Ibazebo O, Soha S, Bautista SJ, Impellizzeri S, Botelho RJ, Hesketh G, Gingras AC, Antonescu CN
bioRxiv · 2024 Apr · doi: 10.1101/2024.04.09.588669
2023
Sugiyama MG, Brown AI, Vega-Lugo J, Borges JP, Scott AM, Jaqaman K, Fairn GD, Antonescu CN
Nature Communications · 2023 May;14(1):2681 · doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-38390-z
2023
Zhang K, Chan V, Botelho RJ, Antonescu CN
Biochemical Society Transactions · 2023 Oct;51(5):1765–1776 · doi: 10.1042/BST20220603
2023
Rahmani S, Deftu AF, Bhatt DL, Bhatt A, Wakarchuk WW, Antonescu CN
Journal of Biological Chemistry · 2023 Mar;299(3):102941 · doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.102941
2022
Orofiamma LA, Vural D, Antonescu CN
Biochimica et Biophysica Acta – Molecular Cell Research · 2022 Dec;1869(12):119359 · doi: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2022.119359

News & Events

The latest from the lab — awards, new papers, presentations, and milestones.

April 2026

Jayde Casimir Powell Receives Indigenous and Black Flourishing Fund Award

Congratulations to PhD student Jayde Casimir Powell on receiving the Indigenous and Black Flourishing Fund from the Office of Social Innovation at TMU, supporting her science communication website SciScribes!

April 2026

CSMB 2026 Poster Prize Winners

Congratulations to Ayshin Mehrabi, Sahar Kamil, and Kseniia Golik, who won poster prizes at the Canadian Society for Molecular Biosciences (CSMB) 2026 meeting on Membrane Proteins in Health and Disease.

Award
March 2026

Katherine Moncada Hernandez Wins Best Talk Award

Congratulations to undergraduate student Katherine Moncada Hernandez on winning Best Talk in Organelles and Intracellular Dynamics at Ontario Biology Day 2026!

February 2026

TMU Researchers Secure $4.8M CIHR Project Grant

Dr. Antonescu has been awarded a CIHR Project Grant to support research on spatial control of PI3K-Akt signaling within clathrin signalosomes — part of over $4.8M secured by TMU researchers.

Read more → Funding
February 2026

Eleanor Cloves Receives NINDS Scholarship Award

Congratulations to PhD student Eleanor Cloves on receiving the NINDS Scholarship Award at the Keystone Symposia!

July 2025

New Paper Published in iScience

Our study on cargo-selective regulation of clathrin-mediated endocytosis by AMPK is now available. The work reveals how nutrient signals reshape the composition of clathrin-coated pits to selectively control cell surface proteins.

Read the paper → Publication

Lab Life

A glimpse into our lab — conferences, celebrations, and everyday science.

Gratefully Funded By
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)
Province of Ontario
Ontario Centres of Excellence
Toronto Metropolitan University
Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI)

Code of Conduct

We are committed to creating a respectful, inclusive, and scientifically rigorous environment where every member can thrive.

01

Respect & Inclusion

We treat all members with dignity regardless of background, identity, or experience level. Discrimination, harassment, and exclusion are not tolerated.

02

Scientific Integrity

We conduct and report research honestly and transparently. Fabrication, falsification, and plagiarism violate our shared values and institutional policy.

03

Open Collaboration

We share knowledge generously, give credit fairly, and communicate openly. We value collaboration over competition.

04

Wellbeing & Balance

We respect that lab members are whole people. We support mental health, reasonable working hours, and time outside the lab.

05

Mentorship & Growth

We invest in each member's scientific and personal development. Constructive feedback and career guidance are part of everyday lab culture.

06

Reporting & Accountability

Anyone who experiences or witnesses misconduct is encouraged to speak with the PI or use institutional reporting channels.

Questions or Concerns?

If you have questions about our code of conduct or wish to raise a concern, please reach out to Dr. Antonescu directly at cantonescu@torontomu.ca.

Contact & Join Us

Find Us

We are always interested in connecting with motivated researchers at all career stages.

🏛️
Department Address Department of Chemistry and Biology
Toronto Metropolitan University
350 Victoria Street
Toronto, ON, Canada M5B 2K3
🔬
Lab Address MaRS Discovery District
MaRS Centre, West Tower
661 University Ave, Suite 1105
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1M1