A Nanomedicine Center:Molecular Membrane Physiology(RMI)

在这里，我们建议设计一个分子膜生理学的纳米医学中心。该中心将开发和应用纳米科学工具来研究和操纵蛋白质和脂肪纳米机器，这些纳米机器精确地调节细胞和环境之间的信息和材料流动。这些纳米机器的缺陷导致了一系列疾病，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标，因此为治疗干预提供了巨大的机会。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，许多强大的纳米级技术非常适合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、胞吐和内吞作用；2) 离子通道的门控；3)膜受体介导的信号转导。这项提案的具体目的是为纳米医学中心制定一个概念发展计划。这一进程将由精通纳米技术的三个分主题的“促进者”指导 将有助于集中讨论他们所在领域的主要问题。他们将召集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研讨会上领导讨论。将提出新兴纳米科学技术适用于这三个分主题的问题。研讨会参与者将根据其对膜纳米医学的潜在影响来优先考虑有前途的纳米科学方法。该小组还将根据对全国知名中心主任和中心调查人员的调查提供的意见，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。

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.