Awarded projects
Visualising the interaction of proteins in biological membranes for diagnosis
of diseases
- Dr David Smith (Biomedical Research Centre; lead applicant)
- Dr Benjamin Abell (Biomedical Research Centre)
- Dr Verena Kriechbaumer (Biomedical Research Centre)
- Dr Aleksey Nabok (Materials and Engineering Research Institute)
- Dr Anna Tsargorodskaya (Materials and Engineering Research Institute)
Membrane proteins are central to life on earth controlling how cells interact with the environment and each other. Biological membranes consist of a double layer of chemicals called phospholipids, which separate the inside of the living cell from the outside, in the same way that a wall insulates a house. Membrane proteins either sit on the surface of this wall or pass through it and control how cells react with their environment. Building on preliminary data this project will develop methods to probe membrane interactions.
Using methodology new to this area, this project aims to develop a novel analytical technique to detect interactions between proteins and cell membranes. It will rely on specialists from Biomedical Research Centre and Materials and Engineering Research Institute. This research will hopefully aid in understanding diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
