RUI: Acquisition of Protein Purification and Analysis Instrumentation to Enhance Biochemical Research and Education at the College of the Holy Cross

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A grant has been awarded to the College of the Holy Cross under the joint direction of Dr. Kenneth Mills and Dr. Robert Bellin to enhance both biochemical research and undergraduate education. The experimental programs supported by this grant reflect the diversity of research at the interface between biology and chemistry at the College. Each of these research programs has at its core the need for preparation of highly purified proteins and the use of sensitive instrumentation for analysis of the prepared samples. As a result, this grant will be used to acquire modern protein purification equipment in the form of computer-driven fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) systems, as well as an up-to-date ultracentrifuge and chemiluminescent imaging system. This equipment is essential for the development and sustenance of modern biochemical research at the College. The intellectual merit of this grant rests on the research and undergraduate training conducted by four laboratories at the College that will make use of the acquired equipment. Dr. Bellin's research explores the interactions that connect specific proteins to the cell membrane via linkages to transmembrane proteins called syndecans. These interactions are important for the structural integrity of the cell and in some cases play a role in tumor suppression. The research in Dr. Mills' lab focuses on the chemical mechanism of protein post-translational rearrangement reactions, specifically those of inteins and hedgehog proteins. These studies aim to examine the structural basis for and the evolution of protein function as well as cell-to-cell signaling. Dr. Mary Morton's lab investigates voltage-gated calcium channels and dystrophin-associated proteins in mice. Her research is important in developing an understanding of muscle architecture as well as providing useful information in the search for treatments to combat Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Finally, Dr. Madeline Vargas studies how hyperthermophilic organisms utilize iron in metabolic pathways and can adapt to habitats as diverse as deep-sea vents and the human gastrointestinal tract.The broader impacts of the acquisition of this instrumentation include improvements in both the scope and depth of biomolecular research at the College. These improvements will raise the caliber of research training received by the exclusively undergraduate student body at Holy Cross, especially students who participate in the College's Biochemistry Concentration. Even beyond the Biochemistry Concentration, this acquisition of modern equipment will have a major impact on a large number of students at the College. Over 60% of the 650 Biology and Chemistry majors that have graduated from Holy Cross in the past decade have participated in undergraduate research, many in areas related to biomolecular science. The continued vitality of the strong Holy Cross tradition of student research and the richness of the experience that these students take with them to their graduate labs and careers will be greatly enhanced by their ability to train and complete successful research projects on modern instrumentation.