Crystallography and Computational Biology Shared Resource

Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem NC

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

CRYSTALLOGRAPHY AND COMPUTATIONAL BIOSCIENCES SHARED RESOURCE (CCBSR): PROJECT SUMMARY The Crystallography and Computational Biosciences Shared Resource (CCBSR) is a highly specialized shared resource that provides Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center (WFBCCC) members with access to expertise, consultation, and state-of-the-art equipment for structural biology experiments and computational bioscience approaches. Under the continued tripartite co-directorship of Thomas Hollis, PhD, W. Todd Lowther, PhD, and Freddie Salsbury Jr., PhD, CCBSR was rated “Outstanding” in the last Cancer Center Support Grant renewal. CCBSR functions as a collaborative model, i.e., the Co-Directors guide the development of projects with WFBCCC members, through the collection of essential preliminary data for NIH/NCI and other cancer-focused funding applications. As a project matures and secures extramural funding, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and technicians are added to the project. As such, the Co-Directors typically contribute to all publications as co-authors and participate as PI or Co-I on most grant applications. The scientific importance of this resource centers on the need to understand the molecular basis for protein-protein, protein-DNA/RNA, and protein-ligand/drug interactions, and how dynamics affect these interactions. This information is crucial for the development of novel small molecule drugs and other therapeutic strategies. Over the current funding cycle, 26 projects (22 with a cancer focus) have used the CCBSR. There are 17 active projects underway, representing investigators fromthe Cancer Genetics and Metabolism(CGM) Program, the Signaling and Biotechnology (SBT) Program, and the Neuro-Oncology (NRO) Program. In the current funding period, the CCBSR contributed to 39 publications. The data collected by the CCBSR enabled 13 of these projects to receive new funding: 10 extramurally-funded (including NCI, NIGMS, NIAID, NIDA, DOD and NSF), 1 industry sponsored research agreement (SRA) for a novel redox-based cancer therapy, and 2 awards from the North Carolina Center for Biotechnology. The Specific Aims of the next funding period are to: (1) determine the appropriate crystallography and/or computational approach for the investigation of protein structure and dynamics alone and in complex with important biomolecules for cancer research; (2) conduct initial crystallization trials or simulations to generate preliminary data for grant applications; and (3) provide facilities and expertise for funded projects to determine the structure or dynamics of important biomolecules in cancer research. All aims include the training of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Graduate students participate in multiple NIH-funded T32 training programs that incorporate training of this SR into their program offerings.