Developing novel tools to target the cytoskeleton in health and disease: a UK-Australia collaboration
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Leeds
Department Name: Astbury Centre
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Publications
Parker F
(2023)
Affimers targeting proteins in the cardiomyocyte Z-disc: Novel tools that improve imaging of heart tissue
in Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine
Parker F
(2020)
Disease mutations in striated muscle myosins.
in Biophysical reviews
| Description | We have developed and tested several Affimers now, that recognise a range of proteins in heart and skeletal muscle. We have been collaborating with researchers in Australia to develop the use of these Affimers, and have published one short paper that shows their efficacy. This research is ongoing and likely to result in further publications. |
| Exploitation Route | We hope to further develop Affimers as useful tools in biology and in the clinic for assessing tissue and cellular samples. |
| Sectors | Healthcare |
| Description | Collaboration with Prof. Cris Dos Remedios |
| Organisation | The Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute |
| Country | Australia |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Collaboration with Prof. Cris Dos Remedios - we are collaborating on imaging human heart samples (normal and diseased) using Affimers. |
| Collaborator Contribution | We are collaborating with Cris to image dilated cardiomyopathy samples from human hearts - they provide the samples, we are imaging. We have now published a paper in which we developed Affimers to Z-disc proteins, and have used these to image heart sections, and demonstrated that they outperform antibodies in super-resolution imaging. He and Boris Martinac are developing this research further with us. |
| Impact | We hope that our analysis will lead to funding applications |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Description | Collaboration with UNSW: Peter Gunning |
| Organisation | University of New South Wales |
| Country | Australia |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We have developed Affimers to Tropomyosin Isoforms, in collaboration with Peter and we are testing them out in staining of tissues and cells. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Peter has provided his advice and expertise in tropomyosins to our lab |
| Impact | We hope to publish our findings in the future. No outputs as yet, although Affimers have been developed. |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Collaboration with Victor Chang Research Institute (Boris Martinac) |
| Organisation | The Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute |
| Country | Australia |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | We are developing research ideas, based on our meeting in Australia, with the aim of working on Piezo 1. A PhD student from Boris's lab will come and work in Leeds, this year to develop our research collaboration. |
| Collaborator Contribution | We are developing research ideas, based on our meeting in Australia, with the aim of working on Piezo 1. A PhD student from Boris's lab will come and work in Leeds, this year to develop our research collaboration. |
| Impact | Still in development |
| Start Year | 2022 |