Objective This research programme is dedicated to the development of rationally designed transmembrane molecular machines. Proteins that undergo nanomechanical transitions to facilitate transmembrane communication, or that operate as transmembrane pumps, rotary motors, and molecular transporters are ubiquitous in nature. Despite much progress in the development of solid-state and chemical nanomechanical devices such as molecular rotors, walkers and logic devices, no such systems have been developed that operate across lipid membranes.Thus, by exploiting our knowledge of biological and synthetic supramolecular components we seek to construct some of the first ever transmembrane molecular machines built to man-made specifications. Mirroring the operation of biological transmembrane molecular machines, compartmentalisation facilitates the construction of nanomechanical devices that can be driven by electrochemical gradients, or those that operate in the reverse sense by turning over chemical fuels to establish non-equilibrium conditions. We intend to demonstrate these principles by combining nanopore-based techniques and DNA-recognition processes to assemble a range of membrane-spanning nanomechanical devices that can be operated, controlled and monitored down to single-molecule levels:Project 1 – Transmembrane logic & signalling on the single-molecule level.Project 2 – A transmembrane transporter.Project 3 – A transmembrane reciprocating pump.Project 4 – A transmembrane rotary motor. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteinsnatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculeslipidsengineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuels Programme(s) FP7-IDEAS-ERC - Specific programme: "Ideas" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Topic(s) ERC-SG-PE5 - ERC Starting Grant - Materials and Synthesis Call for proposal ERC-2013-StG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-SG - ERC Starting Grant Host institution THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH EU contribution € 1 469 780,00 Address OLD COLLEGE, SOUTH BRIDGE EH8 9YL Edinburgh United Kingdom See on map Region Scotland Eastern Scotland Edinburgh Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Principal investigator Scott Cockroft (Dr.) Administrative Contact Alan Kennedy (Mr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data Beneficiaries (2) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH United Kingdom EU contribution € 1 469 780,00 Address OLD COLLEGE, SOUTH BRIDGE EH8 9YL Edinburgh See on map Region Scotland Eastern Scotland Edinburgh Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Principal investigator Scott Cockroft (Dr.) Administrative Contact Alan Kennedy (Mr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN Belgium EU contribution € 30 000,00 Address OUDE MARKT 13 3000 Leuven See on map Region Vlaams Gewest Prov. Vlaams-Brabant Arr. Leuven Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Elke Lammertyn (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data