PROTON – Proton transport and proton-coupled transport

Kurzbezeichung

PROTON

Projektleitung an der Vetmeduni

Pohl, Elena

Einrichtung Vetmeduni

Zentrum für Biologische Wissenschaften

Geldgeber

EU (Kommission der Europäischen Union)

Laufzeit

01.09.2019 - 31.07.2024

Projektkategorie

Verbundprojektt mit externen Partnern

Secure, competitive, and sustainable energy production is a major challenge facing human societies. Biomimetic solutionssuch as the development of new biofuel cells are hampered by our thus far incomplete understanding of proton transferreactions. The same holds for health threats to humanity: Curing diseases like cancer, obesity, chronic gastritis, gastric andduodenal ulcers, requires to pharmacologically interfere - in their molecular details - with yet unresolved proton transferreactions.Here we aim at clarifying the molecular reaction mechanism in the confines of interfacial water layers and proteinaceouscavities with emphasis on arrangement and mobility of proton relay moieties. Achieving this requires an interdisciplinary,multi-level approach comprising cutting edge technologies like second harmonic imaging, single molecule and time resolvedfluorescence microscopy and spectroscopy, advanced calculations of proton transfer, bioengineering of membrane channeland transporter containing systems, synthetic design of biomimetic proton channels, solving protein structures and rational drug design.PROTON will train 15 PhD students, who will acquire a solid state-of-the-art multidisciplinary scientific training in all kinds ofproton migration/reaction systems, covering from basic science to industrial applications, thus preparing them to generatenew scientific knowledge of the highest impact. In addition, practical training on transferable skills will increase theiremployability and qualify them for responsible positions in private and public sectors. Cross-disciplinary strategies and closecollaboration with industry will enable them to resolve the molecular details of proton driven processes in all kinds of settings- enabling the improvement of biomimetic applications – up to fuel cells - and to identify lead substances which may serve topharmacologically interfere with proton transport through membrane channels and transporters.

Horizon 2020 - Excellent Science - Marie S. Curie (MSCA) - Innovative Training Networks (ITN) H2020