I was on Dario Alessi’s Team Lab tour. We started with a round table in Dario’s office. Dario explained the structure of proteins and showed us a 3D model of a LRKK 2 protein. He explained how some proteins experience genetic mutations which can lead to Parkinson’s Disease. He explained that the same gene makes the same protein.
Then we went into the lab where the post grad students showed us how they process the blood samples by putting a negative electric charge through them which separates out the proteins. Each protein is a different size so sorting by size/weight means the proteins can be separated out. The analyses of the proteins can be stored meaning comparisons can be made with them in the future.
We were then shown the mass spectrometer which can do similar analysis, or large numbers of samples in bulk and so much faster than a researcher.
We also met a post grad called Dan whose main role in the lab is to make artificial LRRK2 proteins, not taken from a living being.
Paul Ford, DRIG Steering Group