Engineering proteins to detect counterfeit molecules

工程蛋白质以检测假冒分子

• 批准号: 2751699
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of York
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Studentship
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2022 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=studentship-2751699
• 关键词: Engineering; proteins; detect; counterfeit; molecules

At the heart of many biosensors is a protein that has been engineered to bind the target molecule. To be able to perform this function, the protein needs to bind its target with high affinity and specificity while immobilised on a sensor surface. It must also be stable under the operating conditions of the device. The aim of this project to build a new class of protein detection molecule for biosensor applications using a novel protein scaffold that has high potential for engineering. The project is a multidisciplinary collaboration between three academic research groups at the University of York (Plevin, Johnson and Agirre groups) and the biosensor company Eluceda (www.eluceda.com). You will use cutting-edge computational approaches to design protein scaffolds that bind their targets with appropriate specificity; produce candidate proteins and characterise them using different solution and surface-based assays; and evaluate promising candidates for use in commercial biosensors. You will receive a broad training across all disciplines of the project, including the latest approaches for computational protein design (e.g. AlphaFold2), techniques in structural biology, biophysics and surface-based methods for detecting molecular interactions, and the design of biosensors for commercial applications. You will also gain techno-commercial experience via secondments at Eluceda. This 4-year fully funded PhD project is ideally suited to someone interested in protein design and engineering who wants to design, build and test their ideas and see them applied to real world industrial applications.

许多生物传感器的核心是一种经过改造以结合目标分子的蛋白质。为了能够执行此功能，蛋白质需要以高亲和力和特异性结合其靶标，同时固定在传感器表面上。它还必须在设备的操作条件下保持稳定。该项目的目的是使用具有高度工程潜力的新型蛋白质支架构建用于生物传感器应用的新型蛋白质检测分子。该项目是约克大学三个学术研究小组（Plevin、Johnson 和 Agirre 小组）和生物传感器公司 Eluceda (www.eluceda.com) 之间的多学科合作项目。您将使用尖端的计算方法来设计蛋白质支架，以适当的特异性结合其靶标；产生候选蛋白质并使用不同的溶液和表面检测来表征它们；并评估用于商业生物传感器的有前途的候选者。您将接受该项目所有学科的广泛培训，包括计算蛋白质设计的最新方法（例如 AlphaFold2）、结构生物学技术、生物物理学和用于检测分子相互作用的基于表面的方法，以及用于商业应用的生物传感器的设计。您还将通过 Eluceda 的借调获得技术商业经验。这个为期 4 年的全额资助博士项目非常适合对蛋白质设计和工程感兴趣、想要设计、构建和测试自己的想法并希望将其应用于现实世界的工业应用的人。