Advanced Protein Chemistry and Analysis

Proteins are the engineers of the cell, performing roles from shaping the cell to complex catalysis and energy production. In doing this, they interact with one another and with other biological macromolecules, forming complex assemblies. However, protein function relies not only on the amino acid sequence, but also on covalent modifications capable of enhancing or inhibiting protein activities.

In this course we explore how proteins are identified, purified, and characterized by using cutting-edge NMR and EPR spectroscopies, Crystallography, High Performance Liquid Chromatography, and High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry. Overviewing these techniques along with application examples will provide solid foundation to the understanding of proteins structure in relation to their functionality. Attention will also be paid to developing soft skills such as critical reading and communication during literature research and the analysis of recent scientific publications.