Dissemination of nanotechnology in biomedical translational research
The EU-funded 'Monitoring of cell signaling pathways via interaction of fluorescently tagged proteins' (MONINTERFLUOPROT) project was initiated to establish a multidisciplinary programme in biomedical and translational research at the Department of Biophysics at the P.J. Safarik University in Košice, Slovakia. Specifically, the project was designed to introduce and establish electrophysiological measurements by whole-cell patch clamp, site-directed mutagenesis and creation of fluorescent fusion proteins for application in confocal microscopy and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) measurements, and immunocytochemistry. The transfer of these methodologies expanded research capabilities for a molecule-targeted photodynamic therapy of cancer. Overall, this project resulted in the improvement of the quality of education at the Department of Biophysics. The transfer of knowledge and research to the Department enabled it to receive additional financial support for one national research project as well as an EU-funded project for the development of cell imaging.