Understanding and Controlling Biomolecular Structure and Function at Surfaces and Interfaces

有了这个新奖项，化学结构、动力学和机制A项目（CSDM-A）和化学生命过程项目（CLP）支持德克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校的Lauren Webb教授的一个项目，该项目将研究在允许研究蛋白质活性的条件下将蛋白质附着在表面的新方法。这些研究将允许构建带有功能蛋白的表面，将在材料科学和生物医学工程中得到应用。该项目将生物物理学、分子生物学与表面和材料化学相结合，将为本科生和博士后的学生提供多学科培训，包括那些在科学领域历史上代表性不足的群体。韦伯和她的团队正在进行多管齐下的努力，目的是开发表面，模仿具有自然和人工功能的稳定和功能性生物材料。正在进行的具体实验包括：(1)利用工程二级结构进一步研究烷烃硫醇表面与肽的化学功能化；(2)更复杂的蛋白质与(1)中产生的蛋白质表面的结合；(3)利用(1)中开发的表面功能化来驱动表面蛋白质聚集体的形成；(4)利用蛋白质功能化的表面将酶的功能形式结合到表面并测量其活性。与Webb教授一起工作的学生在分析、物理和生化方法方面获得了丰富的经验。这种跨学科的培训为他们从事技术工作做好了准备。

With this new award, the Chemical Structure, Dynamics and Mechanisms A Program (CSDM-A) and the Chemistry of Life Processes Program (CLP) of the Division of Chemistry support Professor Lauren Webb of the University of Texas at Austin in a project that will investigate new methods for attaching proteins to surfaces under conditions that allow the protein activity to be studied. These studies, which will allow construction of surfaces with functional proteins attached, will have applications in material science and biomedical engineering. This project, which combines biophysics, molecular biology with surface and materials chemistry, will provide multidisciplinary training to students, from undergraduates to post-doctorals, including those from groups historically underrepresented in the sciences.Prof. Webb and her group are conducting a multi-pronged effort with the aim of developing surfaces that mimic stable and functional biological materials capable of both natural and artificial functions. Specific experiments that are being conducted include: (1) the further work on the chemical functionalization of alkane thiol surfaces with peptides, with engineered secondary structure; (2) the binding of more complex protiens to the protein surfaces created in (1); (3) the use of surface functionalization developed in (1) to drive the formation of protein aggregates on the surface; (4) the use of protein-functionalized surfaces to bind functional forms of enzymes to the surface and to measure their activity. Students working with Prof. Webb are obtaining significant experience in analytical, physical and biochemical methods. This interdisciplinary training prepares them for work in the technical workforce.