DISEASE DIAGNOSIS, BIOENGINEERING COVERED
AT STATE NANO SUMMIT
Co-host UH Features Kurt Krause in Nanotechnology Presentations
HOUSTON, July 22, 2005 – Research into the evolution of
protein design by a University of Houston professor will be featured
among nearly 20 presentations at the 2005 Nano Summit Research Conference
July 28.
Kurt L. Krause, an associate professor of biology and biochemistry
at UH, will give a presentation at 11 a.m. on the “Role of
Protein Design in Bionanotechnology.”
Sponsored by the Nanotechnology Foundation of Texas, the 2005 Nano
Summit is a daylong forum for Texas natural science, engineering
and medical researchers to meet and exchange information on their
respective areas of expertise. With a focus on major nanoscience
research activities across Texas, the conference also is of benefit
to corporate research and development executives, as well as students
in related disciplines. UH is a co-host of the event.
Held from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Edwin Hornberger Conference
Center in the Texas Medical Center in Houston, the Nano Summit will
provide presentations, a poster session and networking opportunities
that cover leading nanotechnology research and practical applications
in life science, materials science, energy, electronics and semiconductors.
Both presenters and attendees will be able to explore the specific
research needs and opportunities associated with the multidisciplinary
field that is nanotechnology.
Krause’s work deals with the significant effort in bionanotechnology
today being devoted to the use of naturally occurring proteins in
the diagnosis and treatment of disease and as reagents in bioengineering
applications. The proteins used in these experiments are almost
always naturally occurring and derived from living organisms. However,
these proteins are not optimized to carry out anything other than
their natural role. Krause proposes that if the widespread use of
proteins in nanotechnology is to be achieved, then much more will
need to be done in the area of protein design.
He will discuss current advances in the use of selection and randomization
to intelligently evolve protein function, as well as the role of
these advances in the application of nanotechnology. For instance,
in Krause’s laboratory, what starts off as a mere molecule
may soon become a potential drug to treat HIV, one of the diseases
he actively targets with his research.
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