RESEARCH: CANCER
FOLDING PROJECT #16990 PROFILE

This project relates to understanding how small proteins fold into specific shapes. By studying how chemical bonds and slight changes in the protein's code affect its folding, researchers hope to design better 'affibody' cancer drugs that bind specifically to tumor cells.

These simulations are designed to test our understanding the folding mechanism of alpha-helical hairpins.

We are trying to study how disulfide cross-linkers and sequence variants affect the folding thermodynamics and kinetics of these proteins, to learn how we might better use molecular simulation methods to design effective protein binder scaffolds, for use as "affibody" cancer therapeutics, for example.

alpha-helical hairpins

A type of protein secondary structure.

Alpha-helical hairpins are short segments of proteins that form a specific 3D shape resembling a hairpin. They are important for many biological functions and can be used to design new drugs.

disulfide cross-linkers

Covalent bonds between cysteine amino acids in proteins.

Disulfide cross-linkers are chemical bonds that connect two cysteine amino acids within a protein. They help stabilize the protein's structure and can influence its function.

sequence variants

Changes in the DNA sequence of a gene.

Sequence variants are alterations in the order of DNA building blocks (nucleotides) within a gene. These variations can lead to changes in protein structure and function.

protein binder scaffolds

Structural framework for binding to target molecules.

Protein binder scaffolds are designed protein structures that can bind specifically to target molecules, such as disease-causing proteins. They are used in drug development to create therapeutic agents.

affibody

A type of engineered protein that binds to specific targets.

Affibody is a trademark name for a class of small, engineered proteins designed to bind to specific targets with high affinity. They are being investigated as potential therapeutic agents in various diseases.

cancer therapeutics

Drugs used to treat cancer.

Cancer therapeutics are medications developed to treat and manage various types of cancer. They work by targeting and destroying cancer cells or inhibiting their growth.