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Content archived on 2024-05-28

The control of protein synthesis in health and disease

Objective

Protein synthesis is a key process in living cells, being required for cells to grow, divide, and respond to changing conditions, as well as being critical in gene expression. However, protein synthesis in an expensive process, using a great of energy and amino acids. It is therefore tightly controlled. This involves the regulation, by phosphorylation, of proteins involved in protein synthesis (‘translation factors’) and mRNA-binding proteins. My laboratory studies the roles of these proteins and the protein kinases that act upon them in regulating protein synthesis in mammalian cells. I am particularly interested in the mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) pathway, which is regulated by amino acids and hormones and controls several steps in protein synthesis. A major goal of this project is to achieve a more complete understanding of mTOR signalling and to establish how different signalling pathways and translation factors work together to control protein synthesis. This research will extend our knowledge of a key biological process also help optimize production of biological drugs’, a major interest in the pharmaceutical industry. My laboratory also has a strong interest in the mechanisms by which defects in the translational machinery or in its control lead to human diseases. For example, dysregulation of mTOR signalling leads to cancer and heart disease. We will explore the molecular mechanisms involved in this. Defects in a key translation factor (‘eIF2B’) cause a severe neurodegenerative disease (‘vanishing white matter’). We will employ multiple complementary approaches to understand how problems in protein synthesis lead to these diseases. This will provide valuable information for treating or managing them. Lastly, faulty control of the synthesis of proteins called cytokines leads to inflammatory disease. I will explore the mechanisms that normally control cytokine synthesis, which may lead to new opportunities for treating inflammatory diseases.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

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Keywords

Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)

Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

FP7-PEOPLE-IRG-2008
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Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

MC-IRG - International Re-integration Grants (IRG)

Coordinator

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON
EU contribution
€ 100 000,00
Address
Highfield
SO17 1BJ SOUTHAMPTON
United Kingdom

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Region
South East (England) Hampshire and Isle of Wight Southampton
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

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