MWC brings together New Zealand membrane protein researchers
21 July 2017
Membrane protein research in New Zealand was the focus of a recent one-day meeting held at the University of Auckland. Organised by the Maurice Wilkins Centre, the Membrane Protein Technology Meeting was attended by delegates and speakers interested in learning about current research trends, sharing ideas and meeting others involved in the field.
Membrane protein research in New Zealand was the primary focus of a recent one-day meeting at the University of Auckland. Organised by the Maurice Wilkins Centre, the Membrane Protein Technology Meeting was attended by delegates and speakers interested in learning about current research being conducted, sharing ideas and meeting others involved in the field.
Associate Professor Alok Mitra, an Associate Investigator at the Maurice Wilkins Centre from the University of Auckland’s School of Biological Sciences, opened the meeting.
“Since the 1960s, scientists have identified hundreds of thousands of different types of membrane proteins in various genomes and these constitute about 30 per cent of the proteome,” said Professor Mitra. “The key aspect is that because of their role in cellular survival and proliferation, they’re important drug targets. In fact, about 50 per cent of drug targets constitute membrane proteins.”
The Membrane Protein Technology meeting covered a wide range of topics – from the functions of membrane proteins in biological systems to techniques for working with membrane proteins, such as Cryo-EM and making surfaced-tethered model membranes.
In a discussion session at the end of the meeting, feedback from the attendees was very positive. There was general agreement that the meeting was a great opportunity to connect with other investigators within New Zealand and that holding such forums more regularly would be very beneficial.