Harnessing nanodiscs for the characterization of toxic proteins with Prof. Sara Garcia Linares

Intelligent Infusions Masterclass on the topic of structural and functional characterization of toxic proteins with MSP nanodiscs Key takeaways: • Nanodiscs are invaluable for studying membrane proteins, providing a controlled and native-like lipid environment. • Lipid molecules are not passive participants, but active structural components of the pore made by actinoporins. • Pore formation mechanism is governed by specific lipid-protein and protein-protein interactions, offering potential for targeted biotechnological applications. • Actinoporins can be engineered for use in drug delivery, leveraging their specificity for particular lipid compositions. They also hold promise for environmental applications, such as the enzymatic breakdown of pollutants like microplastics. Speaker: Sara García Linares earned her PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the Complutense University of Madrid in 2017. She completed a two-year postdoctoral stay at Harvard Medical School, where she structurally and functionally characterized one of the proteins involved in the Hedgehog signaling pathway. She is currently a professor and researcher in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Complutense University of Madrid. Her research has primarily focused on studying the structure-function relationships of toxic proteins from sea anemones and insects, with a particular interest in their interaction with biological membranes and the role lipids play in these interactions. She is also a member of the board of directors of the Spanish Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. She has a strong passion for science communication, and she has also been involved in and led educational innovation projects. She has combined her scientific career with performing in various orchestras as a violinist.