CONCO

Location: Geneva (CH)

Scientific Team Leader: Daniel BERTRAND

Website: http://www.unige.ch/medecine

Institution:

The Fundamental Medicine Section at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Geneva directs its research to the function of the human body and its alterations under the effects of disease. This research takes place from the molecular level to the whole organism. The section is composed of the following departments:Neurosciences, Medical Genetics and Development, Pathology and Immunology (study of the immune system during embryogenesis and cancer), Cellular Physiology and Metabolism (study of the mechanisms implied in vascular diseases, obesity and diabetes), Microbiology and Molecular Medecine(study of viral diseases), and Structural Biology and Bioinformatics (synthesis and structure of proteins).

Key persons involved in the project:

Prof Daniel Bertrand and his co-workers of the Department of Neurosciences at the University of Geneva are among the world's leaders in the field of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). Using advanced electrophysiological approaches, they have studied voltage-dependent and ligand-gated ion channels, and their work has consistently appeared in high-profile journals. A senior scientist in the group, Dr Ronald C. Hogg, has extensive experience with conotoxins and their interaction with nAChRs. Patented technology developed in D. Bertrand's laboratories in collaboration with Atheris permits automated electrophysiological screening of compound libraries and venom fractions on ion channel function. Sonia Bertrand will also be involved in CONCO.

The group of Prof Keith Rose set up a protein chemistry and mass spectrometry (MS) group at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Geneva. Dr Rose pioneered techniques of protein identification, of quantification by stable isotope dilution MS and of identification of carboxy-terminal peptides by oxygen labelling of enzymatic digests. He co-founded Abiotic which has become Ciphergen Biosystems (Fremont, CA). He developed and patented (10 issued patents) techniques for protein modification and synthesis. He co-founded a Proteomics company and became CSO before coming back to Geneva University in the new Department of Structural Biology and Bioinformatics. His current research involves isolation, characterisation and chemical synthesis of polypeptides. He will be assisted by Marianne Paolini (experience in synthesis technologies) and Pierre-Olivier Regamey (engineer).

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