Catherine Murphy, Larry R. Faulkner Endowed Chair in Chemistry and Head of the Department of Chemistry, will lecture on “Nanoparticles (potentially) on the Brain: Towards Detection or Therapy of Neurodegenerative Disease with Gold Nanocrystals” at 4:00pm in 2269 Beckman Institute and on Zoom.
Abstract:
Alpha-synuclein is a protein whose aggregation and fibrilization is implicated in Parkinson’s Disease, although its native function is not well understood. It is known that alpha-synuclein binds to small phospholipid vesicles and undergoes a conformational change to a more alpha-helical form; it is also known that the fibrils of this protein found in the brains of Parkinson’s patients are in the beta-sheet form.
Catherine will describe results from her laboratory in which they use gold nanocrystals of controllable size and surface chemistry as a phospholipid vesicle mimic as substrates for alpha-synuclein binding and conformational change. Catherine will also discuss how Gold nanocrystals have been extensively used as imaging agents and photothermal therapy agents due to their plasmonic properties, mostly in the context of cancer. Also, whether these properties can be translated successfully to neurodegenerative disease.
Attend in person at 2269 Beckman Institute or join via Zoom.
