Department Lecture Series
Thursday January 24, 9:45 am, Smith 331

Using Automated 2D IR Spectroscopy to Follow the Folding Kinetics of

Amyloid Fiber Formation

This talk will give an overview of my group's research efforts to probe amyloid fiber formation using 2D IR spectroscopy. Amyloid fibers are involved in many diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Type 2 diabetes, but there is evidence that it is not the fully formed fibers that cause the symptoms of the disease, but rather partly formed intermediates. Because these intermediates are transient, many standard structural techniques have limited use in probing their structures. My group has developed a way of automating 2D IR spectroscopy using a mid-IR pulse shaper so that folding kinetics can be monitored in a rapid-scan approach. Along with isotope labeled peptides, we are using our technique to gain site-specific structural resolution of the folding process. An overview of both the technique and its application to amyloid formation will be given.