The University of Sheffield
Department of Biomedical Science

CMIAD 02

The Centre for Membrane Interactions and Dynamics (CMIAD)

It is estimated that approximately 30% of the human genome encodes membrane proteins. Membrane trafficking ensures that these proteins are sorted and targeted to their correct destinations within cells so that they can function correctly. The cytoskeleton is a ‘skeleton’ made of protein, which is found inside cells and plays key roles in the movement of material during membrane trafficking, migration and cell division. As such mechanisms of membrane trafficking and cytoskeletal rearrangements underlie almost all biological processes and defects give rise to diseases including cancer, neurodegeneration, muscular dystrophy, diabetes, and heart disease.

This network is based on a strong core of cell biologists with expertise in membrane trafficking and the cytoskeleton who use both in vitro and in vivo biological systems. This includes the basic biology of endocytosis, exocytosis, synaptic mechanisms and membrane-cytoskeletal interactions. These systems lend themselves to our existing screening technologies and to quantifiable computational modelling. Data from real biological systems can be applied to engineering of synthetic vesicles (polymersomes) that can be used in translational applications for the treatment of disease. Expertise in protein engineering can be included to control synthetic vesicle activity and specificity, aimed at generating the first targeted synthetic vesicle fusion and possibly even the first synthetic synapse.

Objectives:

CMIAD aims to exploit our capability within the University of Sheffield in the

  1. Mechanistic understanding of membrane trafficking and cellular architecture.
  2. Physiology and pharmacology of membrane vesicle release.
  3. Understanding trafficking and cytoskeletal questions in health & disease, in model organisms including yeast, fly, fish and rodents.
  4. Synthetic molecules for making, encoding and targeted synthetic vesicles with application in research and disease therapy.
  5. Computational modeling to translate knowledge of real biological systems (eg. Auditory synapse or mast cells) into synthetic models.

The Centre for Membrane Interactions and Dynamics (CMIAD)Visit our official website at:

http://cmiad.group.shef.ac.uk/

Contact Details

For further information, or to discuss collaborations, please contact

Professor Liz Smythe, Director of CMIAD

Department of Biomedical Science,
University of Sheffield

Email: e.smythe@sheffield.ac.uk
Tel: +44-114-222-4635