BIFI TALK: José Manuel Martín García, del Instituto Blas Cabrera, CSIC, Madrid

Title: Time-resolved structural studies with serial crystallography: A new frontier in biomedical research.

Abstract

Structural biology, especially X-ray crystallography, has significantly advanced our understanding of diseases by revealing the 3D structures of proteins. However, traditional X-ray crystallography encounters challenges, such as difficulties in obtaining suitable protein crystals and studying protein dynamics. X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) have transformed this field with their bright and brief X-ray pulses, allowing for high-resolution structures of radiation-sensitive and hard-to-crystallize proteins. With XFELs, structural biology is also shifting its focus from determining static structures to exploring the dynamic aspects of protein function. A key tool for investigating these dynamics is mix-and-inject time-resolved crystallography (MISC), which has emerged as a transformative approach in drug discovery, offering unprecedented insights into the dynamic processes of protein function. Traditional X-ray crystallography provides static snapshots of protein structures, which, while valuable, do not capture the full complexity of molecular interactions and conformational changes critical to drug efficacy. MISC, leveraging the capabilities of XFELs and advanced synchrotron sources, allows researchers to observe proteins in action at atomic resolution and in real-time. This technique employs ultra-fast, intense X-ray pulses to trigger and capture transient states and intermediates in biochemical reactions, providing a dynamic view of protein-ligand interactions, enzyme mechanisms, and conformational changes. These insights are crucial for the rational design of drugs with improved specificity and efficacy. In this seminar, I will introduce MISC at XFEL and synchrotron facilities, as well as present some of the most recent results we have obtained in my group by applying this powerful technology to several biomedical research projects.

FRIDAY, 27th September 2024, 12:30 h
Edificio I+D (Conference room)