This research line focuses on protein thermodynamics and tries to understand the chemistry physics of these biological molecules. Proteins are the essential carrier emerging from the genetic signals that make us the way we are. The research group of Professor Mateo Alarcón goes deeply into the knowledge of its internal structure and its energy and dynamic properties thanks to devices like the microcalorimeter.
Among the latest techniques used by Mateo Alarcón´s group is high-field nuclear magnetic resonance scanning and X-rays diffraction of protein crystals, which provide structural information about different kind of proteins: globular, membrane and fibrilar… There are more than one hundred thousand kinds. We are unaware of the existence of some of them.
“Our work is not only to characterize such proteins. It is a much more specialized task”, Mateo Alarcón explains. In this sense, he adds that “as a consequence of genomics development, proteomics opens new doors to work with a cell or an organism. There is much left to know”.
The dynamic and kinetic study of biological processes in which proteins play an important role is another essential area of the scientific activity of this UGR group. Factor time also plays a role, that is to say, “we can see at what speed things happen and the underlying mechanism of these processes”, the scientist from Granada points out. In this sense, it has been acquired a stopped-flow equipment to study processes which take less than a millisecond.
Mutant Proteins
In addition, this is one of the few research groups thah have installed the necessary tools and devices to get their own proteins in a Department of Physical Chemistry. Such proteins have sometimes been genetically modified according to the research objectives. The main purpose is to rationalize, increase ad verify the results of their studies.
Finally, they “actually collaborate” with the private sector, especially with foreign biotechnological companies. “We are neither in Catalonia nor in the Basque Country. Getting seriously envolved in a basic research project is difficult, but even so it is possible”, the researcher admits.
Further information: Prof. Pedro Luis Mateo Alarcón.
Molecular Biophysics and Biotechnology Research Group
Dpt. of Physical Chemistry.
Phone number: 958 24 33 33.
E-mail: pmateo@ugr.es