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Four scientists net New Opportunities awards
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November 1, 2002
New federal funding for four recently hired scientists at Simon Fraser University will advance research on antibiotics and neural diseases. Mark Paetzel, Frederic Pio and Michel Leroux have been awarded $529,160 jointly to build a facility that will help them analyse protein structures, functions and movement at the atomic level. The three assistant professors of molecular biology and biochemistry (MBB) netted the award during the most recent New Opportunities Fund competition sponsored by the Canada Foundation for Innovation. They are pursuing complementary projects related to protein travel within cells, new proteins connected to programmed cell death and protein folding.
A state-of-the-art macromolecular X-ray crystallography lab to be built in MBB will allow the trio to analyse high-resolution information about the three dimensional structure of proteins and protein complexes. "By looking at the atomic details of these molecular machines we can better understand the disease states that occur when these processes go wrong due to mutations or genetically based diseases," explains Paetzel, project leader. "The new facility will create a centre for structural proteomics/bioinformatics research at SFU."
The trio’s research is aimed at advancing the development of a new class of antibiotics or therapies for diseases involving protein misfolding and cancer.
Inigo Novales Flamarique has been awarded a $199,992 grant to finance the acquisition of electrophysiological equipment for his lab. The machine will be used to measure the electrical properties of neurons using single cell techniques and optical recordings with fluorescent dyes.
Through his analysis of fish neurons with this equipment, Flamarique hopes to answer key questions about how lower vertebrates regenerate retinal neurons. Such answers could lead to breakthrough therapies for human neural diseases.
CFI awards are part of a federal government initiative to help Canada become one of the top five countries for research and development by 2010. The CFI’s New Opportunities program is designed to help launch the careers of new and talented faculty members.
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Contact
Michael Paetzel, 604.291.4230, mpaetzel@sfu.ca
Frederic Pio, 604.291.5660, frederic_pio@sfu.ca
Michel Leroux, 604.291.6683, michel_leroux@sfu.ca
Inigo Novales Flamarique, 604.291.3512, inigo@sfu.ca
Carol Thorbes, Media & PR 604.291.3035, cthorbes@sfu.ca
A state-of-the-art macromolecular X-ray crystallography lab to be built in MBB will allow the trio to analyse high-resolution information about the three dimensional structure of proteins and protein complexes. "By looking at the atomic details of these molecular machines we can better understand the disease states that occur when these processes go wrong due to mutations or genetically based diseases," explains Paetzel, project leader. "The new facility will create a centre for structural proteomics/bioinformatics research at SFU."
The trio’s research is aimed at advancing the development of a new class of antibiotics or therapies for diseases involving protein misfolding and cancer.
Inigo Novales Flamarique has been awarded a $199,992 grant to finance the acquisition of electrophysiological equipment for his lab. The machine will be used to measure the electrical properties of neurons using single cell techniques and optical recordings with fluorescent dyes.
Through his analysis of fish neurons with this equipment, Flamarique hopes to answer key questions about how lower vertebrates regenerate retinal neurons. Such answers could lead to breakthrough therapies for human neural diseases.
CFI awards are part of a federal government initiative to help Canada become one of the top five countries for research and development by 2010. The CFI’s New Opportunities program is designed to help launch the careers of new and talented faculty members.
—30—
Contact
Michael Paetzel, 604.291.4230, mpaetzel@sfu.ca
Frederic Pio, 604.291.5660, frederic_pio@sfu.ca
Michel Leroux, 604.291.6683, michel_leroux@sfu.ca
Inigo Novales Flamarique, 604.291.3512, inigo@sfu.ca
Carol Thorbes, Media & PR 604.291.3035, cthorbes@sfu.ca