Inst. för Biokemi & Organisk kemi

Biochemical Toxicology and Protein Design

Research areas

Multiple functions of glutathione transferases in prevention, drug resistance, and treatment of cancer

• Glutathione transferases (GSTs) are abundant proteins with multiple functions in human tissues. The research proposal is focused on enzymatic activities that play prominent roles in various aspects of cancer, from prevention to clinical treatment of patients. Fruits and vegetables contain compounds inducing cellular synthesis of detoxication enzymes, including GSTs.

 

Functional genomics and enzymology of glutathione transferases

• All cellular processes involve proteins encoded in the genome. The sequencing of a complete genome is just a prerequisite for the understanding of the functions of proteins in biological systems. Our research is focused on the abundant proteins that use glutathione as a substrate or cofactor.

 

Recombinatorial protein evolution in multivariate functional space

• Proteins have an enormous potential to evolve for novel molecular functions in biological systems. By recombination of their structural elements new properties emerge that are optimized by molecular evolution under selection pressure. The redesign of proteins for desired functions is a promising emerging area in biotechnology.

 

Group Members

• Bengt Mannervik (Prof.)
  Project leader
  

• Francoise Raffalli-Matheiu (Post Doc)
  Functional genomics and enzymology of glutathione transferases
  
• Anna-Karin Larsson (Post Doc) (maternity leave)
  Multiple functions of glutathione transferases in prevention, drug resistance, and treatment of cancer.
  Recombinatorial protein evolution in multivariate functional space

• Birgitta Eklund (PhD)
  Multiple functions of glutathione transferases in prevention, drug resistance, and treatment of cancer
• Usama Hegazy (PhD)
  Multiple functions of glutathione transferases in prevention, drug resistance, and treatment of cancer
• Ylva Ivarsson (PhD)
  Functional genomics and enzymology of glutathione transferases
• Sanela Kurtovic (PhD)
  Multiple functions of glutathione transferases in prevention, drug resistance, and treatment of cancer
  Recombinatorial protein evolution in multivariate functional space
• Arna Rùnarsdòttir (PhD)
  (Maternity leave) Recombinatorial protein evolution in multivariate functional space
• Abeer Shokeer (PhD)
  Multiple functions of glutathione transferases in prevention, drug resistance, and treatment of cancer
• Birgit Olin (Research engineer)
  Functional genomics and enzymology of glutathione transferases