Friday 26 February 2016 11:05am
A new protein crystallography tool available to Otago researchers will help accelerate research into drug and vaccine design.
The imaging tool is a method to understand complex biological systems that underpin human diseases. These can include studying proteins that cause cell growth in cancer and inflammatory disorders, and developing new treatments for tuberculosis and other bacterial and fungal infections.
Dr Peter Mace says "The equipment gathers images of crystals that are grown of proteins. Protein crystals can then be exposed to intense X-rays to determine the 3D structure of the protein—the arrangement of its atoms. This can enable the design of drugs for example, that can precisely fit to the structure and alter the way the protein works".
This new automated equipment can track up to 50,000 crystallisation trials, and researchers can check on progress from anywhere in the world via the internet.
Read the full article in Otago Bulletin:
New crystal imager boon for Otago research (Otago Bulletin)
