PROJECT TITLE: A Dynamically Controlled Vapor Diffusion Protein Crystal Growth System.
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This proposal addresses the development of a new and innovative dynamically controlled vapor diffusion system that will provide precise control of pre- and post-nucleation growth. Subtopic 11.01, Commercial Microgravity Research, is addressed in that a new and innovative approach will be developed to control protein crystal growth in real-time (dynamically). The system will have important biological and medical relevance in that it will provide crystals for new protein structure determinations and drug design. The overall project objectives for the Phase I effort are: 1)Design a 20 chamber dynamically controlled vapor diffusion module that allows simultaneous and dynamic control of evaporation profiles of individual cells. 2)Use of an existing vapor duffusion system to crystallize 10-15 proteins to demonstrate applicability of the proposed crystallization system. The proposed system will provide a powerful new approach for small and macromolecular crystal growth, benefiting NASA's long history of fundamental and commercial objectives in crystal growth.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The proposed innovative crystal growth system will be of tremendous value to crystallography, chemistry and pharmaceutical laboratories worldwide. The combined market for these scientific disciplines is substantial and the proposed device will play a vital role in their future. Protein crystal growth is generally recognized as the major bottleneck in crystallographic structural investigations, which are of paramount importance in elucidating fundamental structure/function relationships and in stucture-based drug design. These investigations take on further importance with the increasing emphasis on proteome research.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Gayle Christopher, PhD
Diversified Scientific, Inc.
2800 Milan Ct., Suite 381
Birmingham , AL 35211-6908
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Diversified Scientific
2800 Milan Ct, Suite 381
Birmingham , AL 35211-6908