De Novo Design of Protein Transduction Domain Mimics Enabling New Opportunities

该奖项由材料研究部的生物材料项目授予马萨诸塞大学阿默斯特分校，旨在加深对聚合物化学和生物膜转导活动之间的基本联系的理解。该项目由化学、生物工程、环境和运输系统分部的生物技术、生化和生物质工程计划共同资助。学习建立具有蛋白质类活性的简单聚合物结构是现代科学的一个至关重要的目标。全面的结构-活性关系对于获得新的见解和为理解这些独特分子的机制起源奠定基础是必不可少的。由于这些分子横跨磷脂膜，因此将对分子如何与这一至关重要的生物屏障结合和移动获得新的见解。该项目将最先进的有机和聚合物化学与生物膜之间的转移和传递结合在一起。在这一多学科计划中教育和培训学生将使这些具有广泛技术背景的年轻科学家做好准备，准备好在传统学科之间工作，加入现代劳动力大军。研究是推动并将继续推动美国经济的引擎。因此，对基础发现的持续和不断增长的投资仍然至关重要。这项目前的提议集中在有机化学、聚合物科学和生物学的界面上的发现。利用自然系统的灵感，将设计一系列新颖的合成分子，以捕捉这些自然系统的基本特征。从长远来看，这样的研究将影响许多科学领域，并在材料科学和生物学的交界处产生新的基础知识。该项目还将培养研究生，并作为博士后研究员的高级培训。有了从有机化学到细胞培养的各种经验，学生们将接受广泛的培训，以彻底改变美国的劳动力市场。具体努力将侧重于继续扩大任职人数不足的少数群体的参与，以确保我们利用我们所有国家的人才。

This award by the Biomaterials program in the Division of Materials Research to University of Massachusetts Amherst is in developing an understanding of the fundamental connections between polymer chemistry and biomembrane transduction activity. This project is cofunded by the Biotechnology, Biochemical, and Biomass Engineering program in the Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems. Learning to build simple polymeric structures with protein-like activity is a critically important goal of modern science. Comprehensive structure-activity relationships will be essential for gaining novel insights and laying a foundation for understanding the mechanistic origins of these unique molecules. Because these molecules transverse the phospholipid membranes, new insights will be gained on how molecules bind with and move across this critically important biological barrier. This project combines state-of-the-art organic and polymer chemistry with translocation and delivery across biological membranes. Educating and training students within this multi-disciplinary proposal will prepare these young scientists with a broad technical background ready to work across traditional disciplines to join the modern workforce.Research is the engine that has driven and will continue to drive the U.S. economy. As a result, continued and growing investments in fundamental discoveries remain essential. This current proposal focuses on discoveries at the interface of organic chemistry, polymer science, and biology. Using natural systems for inspiration, a novel series of synthetic molecules will be designed that capture the essential features of these natural systems. In the long run, research like this will impact many fields of science and lead to new fundamental knowledge at the interface of materials science and biology. This project will also train graduate students and serve as advanced training for post-doctoral fellows. With experience spanning from organic chemistry to cell culture, students will be trained broadly to revolutionize the American workforce. Specific efforts will focus on continuing to broaden the participation of underrepresented minorities to ensure we utilize all of our countries talent.