Presentation
This project will develop artificial systems capable of transporting ions across cell membranes. Ion transport is prerequisite for most biological processes, and dysregulation of the membrane proteins that regulate transport leads to many diseases. In this project, we will develop photo-responsive transporters for ions, such as phosphates (inorganic phosphate, but also nucleotides) and copper(I) cations with spatiotemporal precision. Both ions are implicated in many important biological processes, but more difficult to transport compared to for instance chloride. We will also combine our interests in halogen bonding mediated transport to develop selective chloride transporters for therapeutic applications. The goals of this project are challenging and require the combined expertise across both research groups: photo-switchable transporters and halogen bonding systems from Oxford, and phosphate transporters and novel experimental methodology for transport studies from Brussels.
Promoters
- Hennie Valkenier-van Dijk, Engineering of Molecular NanoSystems (EMNS), ULB
- Matthew J. Langton, Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford