Single Molecule Cell Biology

我们目前对细胞信号传导和疾病的理解是基于对细胞或分子群体的总体测量。虽然这些测量为细胞功能所需的分子电路提供了有价值的信息，但在单分子和单细胞水平上信号起始和传播的时空动力学方面缺乏细节。单粒子（分子或细胞）方法提供了能够检测单个过程的优势，包括在集合测量中可能丢失的罕见事件。此外，单粒子方法提供了不依赖于同步分子或细胞群体的动态动力学信息。在这项提案中，我们的目标是建立我们在EGF-EGFR信号，生物物理学，生物传感器，量子点纳米技术和单分子光谱方面的综合专业知识，以了解更多关于EGFR细胞信号如何工作以及它如何在癌症中受损。该项目将提供基本信息，可能导致设计更有效的药物针对这一治疗目标。

Our current understanding of cellular signalling and disease is based on ensemble measurements over a cellular or molecular population. While these measurements have provided valuable information on the molecular circuitry required for cellular function, there is a lack of detail on the spatio-temporal dynamics of signal initiation and propagation at the single molecule and single cellular level. Single particle (molecule or cell) approaches offer the advantage of being able to detect individual processes including rare events that would be lost in an ensemble measurement. Moreover single particle approaches provide dynamic-kinetic information that does not rely on synchronising a population of molecules or cells. In this proposal we aim to build on our combined expertise in EGF-EGFR signalling, biophysics, biosensors, quantum dot nanotechnology and single molecule spectroscopy to learn more about how EGFR cellular signalling works and how it is impaired in cancer. This project will provide basic information that could lead to the design of more effective drugs directed agaisnt this therapeutic target.