During her PhD studies, Sofia Trampari studied membrane protein mechanisms. Membrane proteins are fundamental molecules for the function of organisms, and they are targets of a big part of developed drugs. To effectively understand their function, it is important to acquire their 3D architecture. Crystallography is one of the most effective ways to do so. Sofia’s studies were focused on a specific crystallization method that includes the presence of high lipid and detergent amount in protein solutions.

The study covers the formation of a crystallization phase diagram and the investigation of the protein/lipid/detergent interactions. Further research has been conducted in structural studies of two solute carrier transporters.

The new research findings contribute to a more targeted and effective crystallization of new protein targets as well as the understanding of how the specific proteins studied in this project, function under certain conditions.

The PhD study was completed at the department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Aarhus University.

This summary was prepared by the PhD student.    

Time: Monday 1 February 2021 at 13.00
Place: The PhD defence will be held online. To receive a link to the event, please send an e-mail to Karen Bech-Pedersen karenb@mbg.au.dk  
Title of PhD thesis: Crystallization and phase behaviour of membrane transporters in lipid-detergent micelles. Contact information: Sofia Trampari, e-mail: strampari@mbg.au.dk, tel.: +4550315381

Members of the assessment committee:
Professor Susanna Törnroth Horsefield, Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Lund University, Norway
Professor Michael Gajhede, Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Associate Professor Charlotte Rohde Knudsen, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University (chair) Denmark
Main supervisor:
Professor Poul Nissen, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Denmark
Co-supervisors:
Associate Professor Monika Budayova-Spano- University Grenoble des Alpes, France Dr. Margareta Ek- Astra Zeneca, Sweden
Language: The PhD dissertation will be defended in English

The defence is public.

Due to the coronavirus situation, the PhD thesis will not be available for reading at the offices of the PhD administration. Instead, interested parties may send an e-mail to gradschool.nat@au.dk to receive a digital copy of the PhD thesis. Please note, it may in certain cases be necessary to make an individual arrangement to read the PhD thesis.