A Nanomedicine Center:Molecular Membrane Physiology(RMI)

在这里，我们建议设计一个分子膜生理学纳米医学中心。该中心将开发和应用纳米科学工具，研究和操纵蛋白质和脂质纳米机器，精确调节细胞与环境之间的信息和物质流动。这些纳米机器的缺陷是导致许多疾病的原因，包括囊性纤维化、糖尿病和心血管疾病。此外，膜蛋白是约2/3的临床相关药物的靶点，因此代表了治疗干预的巨大机会。建议将分子膜生理学作为中心主题的主要原因是，这一领域的问题是相互关联的，并且许多强大的纳米技术独特地适合于在膜环境中研究细胞纳米机械。我们建议该中心专注于开发和应用纳米科学工具来理解和操纵：1）囊泡运输，胞吐和胞吞，2） 离子通道的门控，和3）膜受体介导的信号传导。该提案的具体目标是为纳米医学中心创建概念发展计划。这一过程将由“主持人”谁是纳米技术精明的专家在3个子主题，谁 将有助于集中讨论其领域的主要问题。他们将组成一个科学和技术专家小组，并在2004年12月举行的膜纳米医学讲习班上主持讨论。将提出适用于3个次主题问题的新兴纳米科学技术。研讨会的参与者将根据其对膜纳米医学的潜在影响，优先考虑有前途的纳米科学方法。该小组还将为特定的膜纳米医学中心和整个NIH纳米医学中心倡议的组织提出建议，并通过对全国著名中心主任和中心调查员的调查提供投入。

Here we propose to design a Nanomedicine Center for Molecular Membrane Physiology. This Center will develop and apply nanoscience tools to study and manipulate the protein and lipid nanomachines that precisely regulate the flow of information and material between the cell and its environment. Defects in these nanomachines are responsible for a host of diseases including cystic fibrosis, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. In addition, membrane proteins are the targets of about 2/3 of clinically relevant drugs and thus represent a tremendous opportunity for therapeutic intervention. The principle reasons for suggesting Molecular Membrane Physiology as a Center theme are that problems in this area are interrelated and a number of powerful nanoscale techniques are uniquely suited to study cellular nanomachinery in a membrane environment. We propose that the Center focus on developing and applying nanoscience tools to understand and manipulate: 1) vesicular transport, exocytosis and endocytosis, 2) the gating of ion channels, and 3) membrane receptor-mediated signaling. The Specific Aim of this proposal is to create a Concept Development Plan for the Nanomedicine Center. This process will be directed by "facilitators" who are nanotechnology-savvy experts in the 3 subthemes who will help focus discussions on the major problems of their field. They will assemble a Panel of Scientific and Technical Experts and lead discussions at a Membrane Nanomediciene Workshop to be held in December, 2004. Emerging nanoscience technology applicabe to questions in the 3 subthemes will be brought forward. Workshop participants will prioritize promising nanoscience approaches according to their potential impact on membrane nanomedicine. The Panel will also make recommendations for the organization of both the specific Membrane Nanomedicine Center and the entire NIH Nanomedicine Center Initiative with input provided from a survey of nationally prominent Center directors and Center Investigators.