Interrogating amino acid transport and organelle exchange

运输蛋白是控制营养物质和其他分子如何进出细胞的基本看门人。然而，在大约450种已知的细胞转运蛋白中，有大约30%没有被很好地表征。我的研究计划的长期目标是了解营养转运体的生理作用；决定它们运输什么，它们在细胞内的位置和方式，以及它们如何支持细胞代谢。对这一目标至关重要的是研究转运的工具和方法的发展，这一直是研究转运蛋白功能的主要挑战。这将为我的小组和其他人今后研究转运体生物学奠定基础。我实验室的学生除了成为独立的科学家、有效的沟通者和项目经理外，还将获得使用最先进的质谱法和分子生物学技术的丰富经验。这些技能将促进他们在加拿大自然科学和工程的研究型职业中取得成功。

Transport proteins are fundamental gate-keepers that control how nutrients and other molecules get into and out of cells. However, of the ~450 known cellular transporters, >30% are not well characterized. The long-term objective of my research program is to understand the physiological role of nutrient transporters; determining what they transport, where and how they localize within the cell, and how they support cellular metabolism. Crucial to this objective is the development of tools and methods to study transport, which has been a major challenge in studying transporter function. This will form the foundation for how my group and others study transporter biology in the future. The students in my lab will gain extensive experience using state-of-the-art mass spectrometry and molecular biology techniques in addition to becoming independent scientists, effective communicators and project managers. These skills will promote their success in research-oriented careers in the natural sciences and engineering in Canada.