Fibrous gel was so 1959.
Mary J. Wirth, a distinguished professor at Purdue University, addressed chemistry students regarding a new technique for protein detection in the Thatcher Building on Tuesday, March 25.
The new research explores more effective methods of detecting proteins within various substances, which could eventually mean advances in medical treatments that focus on protein detection and identification.
Since 1959, researchers have used fibrous gels to achieve this. The gels acted as filters that helped researchers identify different types of proteins. Wirth said that although this method has been used for decades, it presents some inherent complications to researchers.
“The trouble with [gels] is you get all these streaks,” Wirth said. “The streaks are because the big proteins get stuck in small pores, and it takes them a long time to get out.”
The new research explores a variety of methods in an effort to improve the current gel fiber technique of detecting proteins.
One tactic filters and identifies proteins more quickly and accurately by replacing gel fibers with silica nanoparticles. This method allows researchers to detect specific proteins by regulating the size of the pores within the membrane more directly.
Another method accomplishes a similar task, separating molecules according to size or other characteristics but using an electric field in congruence with a liquid to separate the molecules. Wirth said they have used this method to distinguish protein sizes and may even be able to separate protein shapes using this method.
“We haven’t started using electrophoresis for this approach yet, but this is what we’re starting to think about,” Wirth said. “We [may be able to] use electrophoresis to separate these subtle differences in shape of these disulfide isomers, so that’s a possibility.”
Graduate students at Purdue continue to research these methods under Wirth’s supervision. While each of these students is researching slightly different approaches, they are all looking to achieve the collective goal of more efficient and effective protein detection. Their findings will be used in conjunction with one another to determine the most effective ways in which the new methods may be utilized.
These new techniques will also make it easier for researchers to isolate proteins critical to researching antibodies and treating patients with various medical conditions.
Joe Glasing, a graduate student from Germany studying chemistry, said he thought the research would be especially useful within the medical field.
“I think it’s an important development because she’s doing research on cancer and these antibodies,” Glasing said. “I think it can be really useful.”
The Tuesday session of the Giddings Lecture was the first of a two-part series that will conclude Thursday, March 27.
Wirth said she has already seen these methods open new doors of opportunity for study and hopes exploring these methods will ultimately create a faster and more efficient method of detecting proteins.
“What we were interested in was using silica particles to replace the fibers in gels,” Wirth said. “We didn’t expect it to work this well.”
[email protected]