CAREER: Development of Novel Methods to Measure Cell Membrane Protein Clustering in vivo: Unraveling the Relationship between Clustering, Ligand Binding and Cell Signaling

该奖项是根据2009年《美国复苏和再投资法案》(公法111-5)资助的。化学系的分析和表面化学计划以及分子和细胞生物科学部的细胞系统集群将支持爱荷华州立大学艾米丽·史密斯教授的职业发展计划。史密斯教授和她的研究小组将开发高空间分辨率成像方法来测量细胞膜受体的动态组织。这些方法包括不需要受体修饰的荧光共振能量转移分析和与受激发射耗竭成像耦合的荧光相关光谱。史密斯教授的工作将解决一个重要的问题，即细胞膜的空间组织如何与细胞信号和细胞信号中两个重要的膜受体的配体结合事件有关：整合素和晚期糖基化终产物的受体。该项目借鉴了分析化学和分子生物学的概念，将为研究生提供极好的培训机会。为了支持这一培训，将开发一门高级显微镜技术研究生课程。史密斯教授还将建立一个高中推广项目，通过开发的低成本教学模块和为附近农村学区的高中生提供暑期实习机会，提供实践研究经验。

"This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5)." The Analytical and Surface Chemistry Program of the Division of Chemistry and the Cellular System cluster of the Molecular and Cellular Biosciences Division will support the CAREER development plan of Prof. Emily Smith of Iowa State University. Prof. Smith and her research group will develop high spatial resolution imaging methods to measure the dynamic organization of cell membrane receptors. These methods include fluorescence resonance energy transfer assays that do not require receptor modification and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy coupled to stimulated emission depletion imaging. Prof. Smith's work will address the important question of how the spatial organization of the cell membrane relates to cell signaling and ligand binding events for two membrane receptors important in cell signaling: integrins and receptors for advanced glycation end products. Drawing from concepts of analytical chemistry and molecular biology, the project will provide excellent training opportunities to graduate students. To support this training, a graduate course in advanced microscopy techniques will be developed. Prof. Smith will also establish a high school outreach program to provide hands-on research experience through a developed low-cost instructional module and summer internship opportunities for high school students from nearby rural school districts.