Protein Knowledge Suite - ITC and DSC systems

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This proposal is a request for funds to establish a protein knowledge suite (PKS) on the University of Guelph campus, which will contain a nano-Isothermal Titration Calorimeter (nano-ITC), and a nano-Differential Scanning Calorimeter (nano-DSC), which will augment our current Biochemistry Instrument Facility. The requested PKS would endow the Guelph campus with the capability to rapidly screen and optimize the stability of proteins and enzymes, and to characterize the interaction of proteins with many different target molecules. This powerful and unique approach provides fundamental understanding of protein-ligand, protein-protein, and protein-membrane interactions from a thermodynamic perspective, which also extends to the study of other macromolecules (carbohydrate polymers and membranes). Example projects for which these pieces of equipment will be used include understanding stress proteins that can protect plants from climate change, discovering enzymes that can be used for steroid synthesis, examining proteins such as actin that have a potential application in nanotechnology, and many more biotechnological themes. This unique PKS facility will be used daily by major users, which includes 8 PIs, 40 graduate students, 4 post-doctoral researchers, and many undergraduate research project students. Notably, the PKS represents cutting-edge technology that is being adopted by global Biotechnology companies, and the skills acquired by research trainees utilizing the PKS will be highly marketable in the corporate world. The acquisition of the PKS will also provide leadership and international competitiveness in our various research programs, and will have a large impact on the training of young Canadian researchers.