Tuesday April 24, 2018
12:30–1:30 pm
Science Complex, Physics Building, Room 101
Abstracts:
Dr. Matthew Mizuhara, Department of Mathematics and Statistics:“Order Emerging from Chaos: the Mathematics of Firefly Synchronization”
Tourists flood Elkmont, Tennessee every June to witness nature’s light show: trees full of flashing fireflies suddenly synchronizing so that thousands of lights pulse as one. Such collective behaviors arise spontaneously in many biological systems ranging from neuron synapses to bacterial swimmers. In this talk we will study a mathematical model describing such synchronization in a variety of natural systems. We will explore which variables affect the transition from randomness to order, as well as the types of patterns that can arise. No technical background will be necessary to enjoy this talk.
Dr. Danielle Guarracino, Department of Chemistry:“Good things come in cyclized packages: Peptide Inhibitors of a Protein-Protein Interaction Initiating Thrombosis”
Proteins and peptides serve many functions in nature and are the cornerstone behind structural, functional, catalytic and mechanistic action inside cells. The field of peptide pharmaceuticals is truly a hot-bed of activity; with an attractive pharmacological profile and excellent safety, tolerability and efficacy in humans, peptide therapeutics are on the rise. Macrocyclic arrangements provide added stability and many of the favorable characteristics sought after. I will describe the development of head-to-tail cyclized peptides that inhibit the interaction between von Willebrand factor and collagen, which initiates thrombosis. Heart attacks and strokes, most of which are attributable to arterial blood clots, remain the number one cause of death in America. Current therapies and preventatives target platelet interactions at the site of the clot and are riddled with complications. The peptides my group have been working on are moderately active in our developed fluorescently linked immunosorbent assay and show remarkable stability when treated with peptide-degrading factors often found in the cell. The designs therefore provide a springboard for future advances in exceptionally stable, active cyclic peptide drugs.
Proteins and peptides serve many functions in nature and are the cornerstone behind structural, functional, catalytic and mechanistic action inside cells. The field of peptide pharmaceuticals is truly a hot-bed of activity; with an attractive pharmacological profile and excellent safety, tolerability and efficacy in humans, peptide therapeutics are on the rise. Macrocyclic arrangements provide added stability and many of the favorable characteristics sought after. I will describe the development of head-to-tail cyclized peptides that inhibit the interaction between von Willebrand factor and collagen, which initiates thrombosis. Heart attacks and strokes, most of which are attributable to arterial blood clots, remain the number one cause of death in America. Current therapies and preventatives target platelet interactions at the site of the clot and are riddled with complications. The peptides my group have been working on are moderately active in our developed fluorescently linked immunosorbent assay and show remarkable stability when treated with peptide-degrading factors often found in the cell. The designs therefore provide a springboard for future advances in exceptionally stable, active cyclic peptide drugs.
