Solid-state Nanopores as a New Tool for Probing Protein-Protein Binding Equilibria

William Pitchford In this project, solid-state nanopores will be developed for the important application of protein detection. Specifically, devices will be established for use as a new tool to study protein/protein interactions. Once the method is established for well-known systems, using model proteins of defined size and charge, nanopore sensing will be used to study the aggregation equilibria of amyloid-beta protein, an important factor in
Alzheimer’s disease. Interestingly, it seems that the small oligomers of the protein are the main neurotoxic agents that cause the decay of brain function in the course of the disease.1 Nanopore-based sensing is an ideal tool to study the underlying aggregation reactions and will be applied to this highly important medical application.

Biography:

  • Billy earned a BSc in Chemistry from the University of Warwick in 2009. After a year out, in 2010, he joined the Institute of Chemical Biology DTC at Imperial College, enrolling on the MRes in Chemical Biology and Health and Disease and continuing onto my current PhD project. 

Conferences

  • Protein-Protein Interaction Net National Conference, Astra Zeneca, Macclesfield, 12.10.11

References

(1) Shankar GM, Li S, Mehta TH, Garcia-Munoz A, Shepardson NE, Smith I, et al. Amyloid-beta protein dimers isolated directly from Alzheimer's brains impair synaptic plasticity and memory. Nature medicine 2008 Aug;14(8): pp. 837-842.

(2) Soto C. Unfolding the role of protein misfolding in neurodegenerative diseases. Nature reviews.Neuroscience 2003 Jan;4(1): pp. 49-60.