Dynamic nanodevices using protein molecular motors

该项目将专注于设计、制造和实现基于微纳米结构与蛋白质线性分子运动系统相互作用的动态纳米器件，如肌球蛋白-肌动蛋白细丝和肌动蛋白-微管。蛋白质分子马达是普遍存在的生物纳米机器，负责多种生物功能，如细胞运动和分裂、囊泡运输和肌肉收缩。该项目将开发新型混合动态纳米生物设备，使用蛋白质分子马达进行(1)针对癌症等重大疾病的高通量药物发现；（ii）诊断，与经典方法长达数小时的响应时间相比，它是准即时的；（三）能够解决当前电子串行计算机难以解决的组合问题的计算设备。该项目还将为蛋白质分子马达的基础研究提供新的方法，对医学和卫生保健产生更广泛的影响。研究团队将通过从基础科学开始，到医疗保健和其他行业原型设备的研究实施，承担分子马达设备的整个创新路径，推动基于蛋白质分子马达的设备的发展远远超过目前的技术水平。该项目将巩固加拿大生物医药产业在全球高附加值市场的主导地位，并为加拿大优秀的纳米制造知识和能力提供新的出口。

The program will focus on the design, fabrication and implementation of dynamic nanodevices based on the interaction of micro- and nano-structures with protein linear molecular motor systems, such as myosin-actin filaments, and kinesin-microtubules. Protein molecular motors are ubiquitous biological nano-machines responsible for biological functions as diverse as cell movement and division, transport of vesicles, and muscle contraction. The program will develop novel hybrid dynamic nano-bio-devices that use protein molecular motors for (i) high throughput drug discovery for critical diseases, e.g., cancer; (ii) diagnostics, which is quasi-immediate, compared with the hours-long response time of classical methodology; and (iii) computing devices capable of solving combinatorial problems intractable for the present electronic, but sequential computers. The program will also deliver new methodologies for the fundamental study of protein molecular motors with wider impact on medicine and health care. The research team will advance the development of protein molecular motors-based devices well beyond the state of the art, by undertaking the whole innovation path on molecular motors-based devices, starting from fundamental science, to the implementation of the research in prototype devices for health care and other industries. The program will consolidate the already commanding position of the high added-value of Canadian biomedical industry in the global world market, as well as providing a new outlet for the excellent Canadian nanofabrication knowledge and capability.