Nanotechnology Now

Our NanoNews Digest Sponsors







Heifer International

Wikipedia Affiliate Button


Home > Press > Grant to SDSU researcher will address congestive heart failure

John M. Robinson MD, PhD., Assistant Professor
John M. Robinson MD, PhD., Assistant Professor

Abstract:
A grant of about $1.8 million over five years will help scientists better understand congestive heart failure, a condition that affects 5.7 million Americans annually.

Grant to SDSU researcher will address congestive heart failure

Brookings, SD | Posted on December 21st, 2010

John Robinson, a medical doctor and biophysicist at South Dakota State University, has been awarded the funding by the Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health. The research could supply new knowledge about heart failure that could lead to new treatment strategies.

The risk of congestive heart failure increases sharply with age, doubling every 10 years among older adults. At younger ages, blacks are disproportionately affected compared to whites by a ratio of 20 to 1.

Robinson, a member of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in SDSU's College of Arts and Sciences, is especially interested in heart failure in connection with impaired function of the myofilament, a protein assembly regulated by calcium that makes the heart contract.

"The myofilament is the fundamental unit that allows the heart to generate force. Your heart has to beat and relax about once every second," Robinson said. "These periods of contraction and relaxation are regulated by the levels of calcium inside cells of the heart. The myofilament is a calcium-sensitive switch that generates force when calcium binds to it."

However, scientists don't fully understand how the myofilament functions or what goes wrong when it doesn't work properly. Robinson said that's because those processes are taking place at the nanoscale, or roughly at a level 100 to 1,000 times smaller than can be seen by using a conventional microscope.

"Switching in the nanoscale is very different from switching in our world. If I turn a light switch on, it stays on," Robinson said. "What we're seeing with protein switches is that just because calcium binds to it, it will not necessarily turn on. It's sort of error-prone. All of the switching is done by heat random collisions with water is what drives all of this."

Robinson said a revolution in instrumentation is making it possible to unravel such processes, some of which have been studied for decades. Robinson is part of the SDSU-based Center for Biological Control and Analysis by Applied Photonics, or BCAAP. The center is made up of researchers who use light as one of the tools either to control biochemical processes or, in this case, to analyze biochemical processes.

Robinson's laboratory uses a technique called Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer, or FRET, to study proteins at the nanoscale. His FRET measurements are at the "single molecule" level, studying myofilaments one at a time.

Robinson's five-year NIH project will work to establish what molecular interactions are taking place as the myofilament contracts; and to understand the mechanisms at work when myofilaments' sensitivity to calcium is altered.

####

For more information, please click here

Copyright © South Dakota State University

If you have a comment, please Contact us.

Issuers of news releases, not 7th Wave, Inc. or Nanotechnology Now, are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.

Bookmark:
Delicious Digg Newsvine Google Yahoo Reddit Magnoliacom Furl Facebook

Related News Press

News and information

JPK reports on single molecule research at IISER Pune in India using AFM and CellHesion techniques May 21st, 2013

Imec and GLOBALFOUNDRIES collaborate to advance high-density memory technology: STT-MRAM offers enhanced performance and scalability for embedded and standalone applications May 21st, 2013

International survey supports need for built-in water protection on smartphones and tablets May 21st, 2013

Rice unveils method for tailoring optical processors: Arranging nanoparticles in geometric patterns allows for control of light with light May 21st, 2013

Govt.-Legislation/Regulation/Funding/Policy

MU Researchers Develop Radioactive Nanoparticles that Target Cancer Cells: This is an early step toward developing therapies for metastasized cancers, MU scientist says May 21st, 2013

New Nanopore Sensor Simplifies Analysis of Methylated DNA May 20th, 2013

Penn engineers' nanoantennas improve infrared sensing May 20th, 2013

Researchers Perform Fastest Measurements Ever Made of Ion Channel Proteins May 20th, 2013

Academic/Education

Inaugural Baccalaureate Class Among CNSE Graduates to Pursue Opportunities in New York: Half of undergrads from pioneering class to seek graduate degrees at CNSE; majority of master’s and doctoral degree recipients land high-tech jobs in state’s emerging nanotech industry May 16th, 2013

Anasys reports on University of Illinois study of near-field behavior of semiconductor plasmonic microparticles using AFM-IR published in APL May 14th, 2013

The University of Wyoming uses Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis to characterize nanoparticles in natural environments May 14th, 2013

Nanotechnology Pioneer Named 'Entrepreneur of the Year': Royal Society of Chemistry honors Chad Mirkin for commercializing innovations May 10th, 2013

Nanomedicine

How Gold Nanoparticles Can Help Fight Ovarian Cancer May 21st, 2013

MU Researchers Develop Radioactive Nanoparticles that Target Cancer Cells: This is an early step toward developing therapies for metastasized cancers, MU scientist says May 21st, 2013

Nanoparticle Delivers Large Protein Complex to Cancer Cell Nucleus May 20th, 2013

Elsevier Business Intelligence (EBI) to Host 'IN3 Medical Device 360 Boston,' June 24-26, 2013 May 20th, 2013

Announcements

JPK reports on single molecule research at IISER Pune in India using AFM and CellHesion techniques May 21st, 2013

Imec and GLOBALFOUNDRIES collaborate to advance high-density memory technology: STT-MRAM offers enhanced performance and scalability for embedded and standalone applications May 21st, 2013

International survey supports need for built-in water protection on smartphones and tablets May 21st, 2013

Rice unveils method for tailoring optical processors: Arranging nanoparticles in geometric patterns allows for control of light with light May 21st, 2013

Tools

Xmark Media announces the 2013 Vacuum Expo & Vacuum Symposium, Ricoh Arena - Coventry 16-17 October May 21st, 2013

JPK reports on single molecule research at IISER Pune in India using AFM and CellHesion techniques May 21st, 2013

Penn engineers' nanoantennas improve infrared sensing May 20th, 2013

Kinks and curves at the nanoscale: New research shows 'perfect twin boundaries' are not so perfect May 20th, 2013

Nanobiotechnology

Researchers Perform Fastest Measurements Ever Made of Ion Channel Proteins May 20th, 2013

Artificial Forest for Solar Water-Splitting: Berkeley Lab Researchers Report First Fully Integrated Artificial Photosynthesis Nanosystem May 17th, 2013

Glowing Plant Kickstarter Project Retains Digital Marketing Agency, Command Partners: Glowing Plant brings on top Charlotte-based digital marketing firm to assist in crowdfunding campaign May 16th, 2013

DNA-Guided Assembly Yields Novel Ribbon-Like Nanostructures: Approach could be useful in fabricating new kinds of materials with engineered properties May 16th, 2013

NanoNews-Digest
The latest news from around the world, FREE





  Premium Products
NanoNews-Custom
Only the news you want to read!
 Learn More
NanoTech-Transfer
University Technology Transfer & Patents
 Learn More
NanoStrategies
Full-service, expert consulting
 Learn More












ASP
Nanotechnology Now Featured Books




NNN

The Hunger Project








abbigliamento uomo
Computer Accessories
© Copyright 1999-2013 7th Wave, Inc. All Rights Reserved PRIVACY POLICY :: CONTACT US :: STATS :: SITE MAP :: ADVERTISE