Proteins are the most versatile macromolecules in living systems. They determine shape and structure of the cell and serve as the main instruments of molecular recognition and catalysis. Proteins occurring in nature have evolved to perform specific functions that depend on the proteins' three dimensional structures, and many diseases are connected with unusual protein folds.
We apply molecular biology, molecular modeling, X-ray crystallography, and spectroscopic methods such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to understand the structure and function of biomolecules. Our main targets are proteins relevant to human disease.
The Member Departments of BIGSS cover methods and projects along the path of drug development, including:
- target characterization in gene transcription and signal transduction
- proteins in viral and bacterial pathogens
- proteins in cancer cells
- X-ray crystallography
- NMR
- bioinformatics
- development of animal models
- pre-clinical research.