About laboratory
The Laboratory of Structural Biology and Cell Signaling is a multidisciplinary team focused on two main research directions.
The structural biology group specializes in recombinant protein expression and the structural and dynamic characterization of proteins and protein-ligand complexes. They employ advanced mass spectrometric techniques, including native mass spectrometry, hydrogen/deuterium exchange, chemical and radical footprinting, and protein cross-linking. Beyond applying these methods, the group also actively develops new enzymatic columns for online protein digestion and novel labeling reagents for surface modification and cross-linking. Due to the complexity of the resulting data and the scarcity of commercial tools for analysis, the group invests substantial effort into building customized software solutions.
The clinical proteomics unit explores the molecular basis of a broad spectrum of human diseases - from bacterial and viral infections to diabetes, kidney dysfunction, and neurodegenerative conditions such as dementia. One of the unit’s core strengths lies in its proprietary technology for fabricating protein chips designed for immunoaffinity enrichment of specific proteins from biological fluids, including plasma, serum, and cerebrospinal fluid. These chips are fully compatible with mass spectrometric analysis, enabling highly sensitive, specific, and robust protein quantification. This technology is well aligned with the vision of personalized medicine, offering early diagnostic capabilities that can reduce treatment costs and improve patient outcomes and productivity.
The close collaboration between these two groups creates a unique research platform where biological insights can be validated and understood at the molecular level. The laboratory is located at the BIOCEV center in Vestec.
