LIPID Ligand Discovery
find lipids ligands that bind membrane readers & drug targets
Ligand discovery & characterization
We offer biophysical instrument access, training and collaborative services for discovery of lipid ligands and small molecule drug lead candidates for membrane-associated proteins using SMALP technology and native nanodiscs.
Sets of polymer-based nanodiscs can be screened and including various lipid combinations that represent bar codes for cellular membranes and organelles.
We offer collaborative and fee-for service access to our systems including:
Visual Interference Color Assay (VICA) using a detector from Pavonis Diagnostics and Todd McMullen's lab at UAlberta for visualizing and quantifying protein interactions in pure samples or complex mixtures at low cost and without fluorescent or enzyme labels,
- GatorBio Biolayer Interferometry 8-channel & 96/384 well microplate system for ligand screening, profiling, affinities and kinetics of protein interactions with lipids and nanodiscs,
- Fluidic Analytics Fluidity One-M for affinity, size, stoichiometry information of nanodiscs and protein complexes
- Malvern Panalytical MicroCal PEAQ ITC for label-free binding kinetics and stoichiometries of lipid and drug molecules with protein targets
- Malvern Panalytical Zetasizer Ultra for measurement of nanodisc sizes, charges, concentrations and multiangle dynamic light scattering
- NANUC NMR spectrometers: Varian 600 and 500 MHz systems resolve proton, carbon-13, nitrogen-15, phosphorus-31 nuclei of proteins, small molecules, polymers, metabolites
Our systems represent some of the latest technologies for biomolecular analysis used to screen and cross validate lipid and drug molecules, measuring their affinities and profiling ligand specificities for binding membrane proteins and native nanodiscs.
Molscreen was established by Michael Overduin and coapplicants with Canada Foundation for Innovation John R. Evans Leaders Fund grant 38496 entitled Biophysical equipment to measure complex molecular interactions in solution, which was co-funded by the Province of Alberta. This support should be acknowledged in publications and presentations that benefit.
Our team welcomes opportunities for collaboration and partnering, and has experience in setting up, running and supporting drug discovery projects focused on a range of emerging and established targets including membrane-associated proteins.
Gator+ BLI system at the University of Alberta
