From Gdańsk to Cambridge. Research that can help develop disease therapies | Gdańsk University of Technology

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Date added: 2025-01-28

From Gdańsk to Cambridge. Research that can help develop disease therapies

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Krzysztof Kamil Bojarski, PhD. Photo: Krzysztof Krzempek / Gdańsk University of Technology
Krzysztof Kamil Bojarski, PhD, from the Department of Physical Chemistry at the Faculty of Chemistry of Gdańsk University of Technology, as a laureate of the Bekker Scholarship Program of the National Agency for Academic Exchange, will carry out a research project at the University of Cambridge in cooperation with the group of Prof. David Wales, known for groundbreaking research in the field of computational chemistry. His work may contribute to the development of new therapies for diseases such as cancer, osteoporosis, or rheumatoid arthritis.

As part of the Bekker Scholarship, Krzysztof Bojarski, PhD, will receive funding for the implementation of the project "Towards a better understanding of the role of glycosaminoglycans in regulating the enzymatic activity of cathepsins", which is a continuation of his previous research in projects from the PRELUDIUM and SONATINA programs of the National Science Center.

Immunity enzymes

– Cathepsins, which are enzymes (proteases), are responsible for the decomposition of collagen and other biochemically important substances. Their impaired activity leads to impaired functioning of the body. For example, destabilization of cathepsin K activity contributes to the development of osteoporosis. On the other hand, glycosaminoglycans are polysaccharides, i.e. complex sugars, and one of their roles is to control the enzymatic activity of cathepsins, but also other enzymes – says doctor Bojarski. – As part of the research, we will check how individual features of glycosaminoglycans (length, charge, number of sulphate groups, binding site) affect the stability of the protein-sugar system, as well as the flexibility (conformational freedom) of the protein. The final database will allow us to propose substances that would be similar to sugars, but would bind more stably or induce a specific desirable effect – explains the scientist.

The aim of the research is to better understand the enzymatic reactions of cathepsins in the presence of glycosaminoglycans, which is to contribute to a more precise definition of the role of these enzymes in biological processes and create new therapeutic possibilities.

– Cathepsins are key to protein degradation, and their dysfunction is associated with many diseases, such as cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, or neurodegenerative disorders – enumerates doctor Bojarski.

Advanced modeling and computations

The research will be conducted at the University of Cambridge in collaboration with the group of Prof. David Wales. The research will use advanced molecular modeling methods and innovative computational tools developed by scientists from Cambridge.

– Using these advanced tools will make it possible to obtain high accuracy of calculations at low computational costs (time and computing power), enabling a precise description of the mechanisms of enzymatic reactions of cathepsins in the presence and absence of glycosaminoglycans – says the NAAE scholarship holder.

The research will begin in October this year and will last two years. The effect of this cooperation is to develop an innovative methodology allowing to determine the effect of glycosaminoglycan binding on the kinetics of enzymatic activity of cathepsins.

Research group at the Faculty of Chemistry

Krzysztof Bojarski , PhD, works in a team of scientists led by Prof. Jacek Czub, who deals with computational molecular biophysics at the Faculty of Chemistry of Gdańsk University of Technology. The team investigates molecular mechanisms and driving forces of processes of significant biological importance. To solve research problems, scientists use simulations based on molecular models, as well as multidisciplinary knowledge from the intersection of chemistry, physics, biology and computer science. Doctor Bojarski is the leader of the subgroup dealing with sugars.

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