Become a science sponsor

Become a personal sponsor for one of the junior researchers in the group. The concept, Tiedekummi (literally “Science Godfather”) seeks to foster links between academicians, companies, charities and individual sponsors.

Our work aims to understand the structure, assembly and function of biological macromolecule complexes. We embed unstained, unfixed specimens in vitreous ice to preserve their structures. Transmission cryo-electron microscopy is then used to visualize the specimens, but the images recorded are difficult to interpret because they are projections of the specimen degraded by noise. Thus we computationally combine images of the specimen viewed from different angles enabling us to reconstruct a three-dimensional model. Any inherent symmetry present in the structure is also used in this averaging. This method is particularly useful for objects that are too large, unstable or variable to be studied by X-ray crystallography or NMR, such as enveloped viruses.

The researchers in the list below have expressed interest in forming links to potential sponsors.

List of researchers

	Ausra Domanska, PhD Ausra’s research focuses on human parechovirus type 3, a neonatal sepsis-causing picornavirus. So far the most promising anti-picornaviral drug candidates do not have any effect on the parechovirus, therefore new effective means have to be found. Using structural methods Ausra explores possibilities to develop broadly neutralising monoclonal antibodies as candidate therapeutic drugs against this virus.
	Sergei Gurianov, PhD Sergei investigates the structure and assembly of paramyxoviruses, and is particularly interested in the medically important measles virus and respiratory syncytial virus. In his recent work, Sergei has provided an insight into the molecular mechanism of measles virus replication. With the use of protein X-ray crystallography, Sergei explored the structure of the virus nucleoprotein and its reshaping upon interaction with virus genomic RNA. Currently, Sergei continues his research to unravel the process of virus genome replication at a structural level.
	Pasi Laurinmäki, MSc Pasi has an engineering background and has been working in the research group as an electron microscopy specialist for over 15 years. He has done cryo-EM imaging, data analysis and visualization for a wide array of nanoscale samples. Most of Pasi’s publications are from structural virology, but over the years he has also contributed technical support to projects ranging from cell biology to pharmacy, polymer chemistry and physics.