Two South Coast scientists have been awarded a large grant for research on proteins.
California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks analytical chemistry professor Katherine Hoffman and organic chemistry assistant professor Jason Kingsbury have received a $195,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to work with undergraduate students to research proteins that enable pathogenic bacteria to thrive.
The students and faculty members will use state-of-the-art techniques in conducting their research. They’ll also participate in national science conferences and potentially have their research published.
The team is researching the structure and behavior of an understudied family of proteins that are involved in the creation of small iron-binding metabolites that enable pathogenic bacteria to steal the iron they need to function optimally from humans. The research will lay a foundation for the possible development of antibiotics that interrupt this iron acquisition.
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