Molecular mechanisms of collagen matrix assembly in health and disease

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This project studies the way the specific protein building blocks of tissues interact with each other to form the complicated structural networks necessary for tissue growth, development and function. Specifically, we will study collagens, the main structural proteins of the body. We will determine how they assemble with other proteins to form the complex fibrils or molecular ropes, which provide mechanical strength to tissues and create the environment for cells to grow and develop in tissues such as bone, skin, cartilage and muscle. We will explore the effect of collagen mutations, that occur in patients with inherited diseases of cartilage and muscle, on these assembly processes. This will provide key information on the disease process, so that in the future new approaches to diagnosis and therapy can be developed. The understanding we gain on the molecular basis of tissue structural assembly from these studies will be of importance for understanding normal tissue growth and development, and for the development of new biomaterials for therapeutic use.