Collaborative Research: Membrane Nanodomains--Prediction and Detection

该奖项的研究目标是预测和检测巨大单层囊泡(GUV)中脂质纳米结构域的形成。脂质纳米结构域被认为在许多关键的细胞过程中发挥着重要作用，包括禽流感和艾滋病毒等包膜病毒的复制过程以及癌症等病理条件下的信号机制。该研究方法涉及三个主要活动：1)开发适合于检测和表征纳米结构域形成的第一种成像模式；2)开发用于纳米结构域模拟的多尺度模型和数值方法；以及3)确定形成纳米结构域所需的条件并在GUV中对其进行成像。这些活动的一个重要副产品是解决在没有蛋白质等辅助稳定剂的情况下能否形成这种纳米结构域的问题。如果成功，这项研究的结果将提供一种成像方式，可以转移给生物科学家来观察和检测，并最终帮助控制细胞中木筏的出现。例如，这些知识可能被用来指导癌症治疗方案的发展，涉及到生长因子和其他膜信号分子的控制。研究活动的成果将通过向制造商提供显微镜技术、向其他科学家和工程师免费在线提供计算机代码以及向教师和科学博物馆提供图像和动画来传播。本科生和工程学研究生将通过实验室轮换系统，接受与本研究相关的实验、理论和计算技术培训。

The research objective of this award is to predict and detect the formation of lipid nanodomains in giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs). Lipid nanodomains are believed to play a significant role in a number of critical cellular processes, including replication processes in enveloped viruses such as bird flu and HIV and signaling mechanisms underlying pathological conditions such as cancer. The research approach involves three main activities:1) developing the first imaging modality suitable to detect and characterize the formation of nanodomains; 2) developing multiscale models and numerical methodologies for nanoraft simulation; and 3) identifying the conditions needed for the formation of nanodomains and image them in GUVs. An important byproduct of these activities concerns addressing the question of whether or not such nanodomains can form at all in the absence of auxiliary stabilizing agents such as proteins.If successful, the results of this research will provide an imaging modality that can be transferred to bioscientists to observe and detect, and eventually help control, the emergence of rafts in cells. Such knowledge might be used, for example, to guide the development of treatment schemes for cancer involving the control of growth factors and other membrane signaling molecules. Results from the research activities will be disseminated by providing the microscope techniques to manufacturers, making the computer codes freely available online to other scientists and engineers, and by providing images and animations to teachers and science museums. Undergraduate and graduate engineering students will be trained in the experimental, theoretical, and computational techniques involved in this research through a system of lab rotations