Raphael Lee, University of Chicago
Professor
Chicago, Illinois
r-lee@uchicago.edu
Office:
(773) 702-6302
Expert In
Bio/Research
Molecular repair is an important feature of biological systems that are able to survive stressful conditions that cause structural damage to cell membranes and unfold (denature) proteins. Endogenous cellular repair strategies, regulated by gene expression, permit survival and adaptation to stress...
Click to Expand >>
Click to Expand >>
Bio/Research
Molecular repair is an important feature of biological systems that are able to survive stressful conditions that cause structural damage to cell membranes and unfold (denature) proteins. Endogenous cellular repair strategies, regulated by gene expression, permit survival and adaptation to stressful conditions. Cell repair methods include synthesis of molecular chaperones that refold or remove damaged proteins and fusagenic proteins that induce resealing of disrupted membranes. Adaptation often involves changes in constitutive expression of repair molecules.
My research focuses on development of synthetic chaperones for purpose of repairing cell that are damaged beyond repair capability of natural mechanism and developing durable materials that repair themselves. In particular, our focus is on engineering of multiblock copolymer surfactants as membrane fusagens and use of similar copolymers to disaggregate and refold denatured proteins. The biophysical mechanism of action relates to altered interfacial interaction between water and biomolecules. Models used in my lab included in-vivo muscle electroporation injury as well as isolated muscle cells to study membrane transport. We are now using AFM and laser-tweezers to determine if changes in membrane tension precedes surfactant induced sealing. We also perform molecular dynamic simulations of surfactant membrane and surfactant aggregate interactions to gain insight into deterministic molecular design constraints.
Click to Shrink <<
My research focuses on development of synthetic chaperones for purpose of repairing cell that are damaged beyond repair capability of natural mechanism and developing durable materials that repair themselves. In particular, our focus is on engineering of multiblock copolymer surfactants as membrane fusagens and use of similar copolymers to disaggregate and refold denatured proteins. The biophysical mechanism of action relates to altered interfacial interaction between water and biomolecules. Models used in my lab included in-vivo muscle electroporation injury as well as isolated muscle cells to study membrane transport. We are now using AFM and laser-tweezers to determine if changes in membrane tension precedes surfactant induced sealing. We also perform molecular dynamic simulations of surfactant membrane and surfactant aggregate interactions to gain insight into deterministic molecular design constraints.
Click to Shrink <<