Research Laboratory of Infectious Pathogens and Biomolecular Nanostructures

The Research Laboratory of Infectious Pathogens and Biomolecular Nanostructures is a new research unit at the Institute of Experimental Medicine.

Research focus:

• Study of the surface structures of viral and bacterial infectious agents, in particular, SARS-CoV-2 virus
• Design and expression of recombinant target proteins that bind pathogens
• Development of systems for intercepting and preventing the interaction of a pathogen with a living cell
• Creation of molecular traps based on artificial nanoparticles

The researchers also focus on the study and design of recombinant chimeric proteins, protein engineering, post-translational modifications and protein folding, and the search for promising target proteins of various pathogens.

The specialists of the Laboratory are involved in other projects of Almazov Centre, where there is a need to use molecular biological methods, analysis of protein expression and phosphorylation, as well as in preclinical studies.

Major achievements 

• Coding sequences for SARS-CoV-2 virus target genes have been obtained, namely ACE2 and DPP.
• Coding sequences of the TMPRSS2 and FURIN genes whose proteins are involved in the activation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, have been obtained.
• Gene expression constructs with these genes have been created.
• Experiments were carried out on the transfection of producer cell lines with the created constructs.
• Recombinant proteins of the main target genes have been obtained.
• The Laboratory is working together with the Research Laboratory of Nanotechnologies to develop the concept of a molecular trap, searching for suitable nanocarriers and the ways of functionalizing the surface of nanoparticles with recombinant target proteins.

Participation in research projects and State Assignments

The Laboratory is involved in the implementation of the state assignment «Development of approaches for binding and inactivation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the body of a patient with COVID-19 and extracorporeally using recombinant genetically engineered proteins.»