FY2010 Structural Cellular Biology Unit

Structural Cellular Biology Unit

Principal Investigator: Ulf Skoglund
Research Theme: Using molecular electron tomography to visualize individual macromolecules

Abstract

Our unit runs research projects that concern method developments, applications, and rewarding and exciting collaborations with other groups in order to understand more of the function of proteins in cells and tissues. We mainly use the techniques of electron microscopy, including molecular electron tomography, as the main tools in our unit, though we will draw upon well-established complementary techniques when called for. This first year we have been very busy procuring electron microscope instruments, developing our software, hiring coworkers and initializing realistic research project to run once we have the instruments. Our method is well suited for use in pharmaceutical drug research in industrial collaborations, so a big leap forward was that we managed to transfer the patent rights for our procedures to OIST.

1. Staff

  • Dr. Lars-Göran Öfverstedt, Researcher
  • Dr. Gunnar Wilken, Researcher
  • Mr. Hirotoshi Furusho, Technician
  • Ms. Shizuka Kuda, Research Administrator / Secretary

2. Collaborations

  • Theme: Visualization and in vivo analyses of eukaryotic gene expression
    • Type of collaboration: Research collaboration
    • Researchers:
      • Professor Neus Visa, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
  • Theme: Structure and function of antibody isotypes in Atlantic  salmon
    • Type of collaboration: Research collaboration
    • Researchers:
      • Professor Ivar Hordvik, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norweig
  • Theme: Structural studies of the full-length Glucocorticoid receptor protein.
    • Type of collaboration: Research collaboration
    • Researchers:
      • Professor Örjan Wrange, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
  • Theme: Electron lambda tomography developments
    • Type of collaboration: Research collaboration
    • Researchers:
      • Professor Eric Todd Quinto, Tufts University, Boston, USA

3. Activities and Findings

3.1 Capitalize Each of These Titles the Way You Would Capitalize a Book Title

Currently equipment is being commissioned.

4. Publications

4.1 Journals

  1. Gedda, M., Öfverstedt, L.-G., Skoglund, U., Svensson, S. Image processing system for localizing macromolecules in crto-electron tomography. Machine Graphics & Vision 19, 159-184 (2010).
  2. Quinto, E. T., Ozan, O. & Skoglund, U. Reply to Wang and Yu: Both electron lambda tomography and interior tomography have their uses. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 107, E94-E95, doi:DOI 10.1073/pnas.1002721107 (2010).

4.2 Books and other one-time publications

None

4.3 Oral and Poster Presentations

  1. Öfverstedt, L.-G. Molecular Electron Tomography, OIST Junior Research Retreat, OIST New Campus, Nov 02, 2010
  2. Skoglund, U. Immobilized proteins enables you to see them move, Towards the development of an R&D cluster in Okinawa OIST, Okinawa, Oct 7, 2010
  3. Skoglund, U. Freeze the molecules to see them dance !!, New faces of atomic nuclei, OIST, Okinawa, Nov 16, 2010
  4. Skoglund, U. Okinawa Innovation Forum: An example from OIST of a developing case, Okinawa Innovation Forum, Okinawa Industrial Technology Center in Uruma, Okinawa, Dec 17, 2010

5. Intellectual Property Rights and Other Specific Achievements

February 22, 2011 - Patent Transfer from Sidec Technologies AB, a Swedish company providing research collaboration based on molecular electron tomography (MET) for the pharmaceutical industry to OIST.  The portfolio was developed on the basis of Dr. Ulf Skoglund's research in MET, which he was Professor at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden.  MET, which is a combination of electron microscopy techniques and fast compuatation methods, is used to visualize molecules and cellular sub-structures in 3D. 

6. Meetings and Events

6.1 OIST Internal Seminar

  • Date: April 9, 2010
  • Venue: OIST Campus
  • Speakers: Ulf Skoglund, OIST
  • Title: "Immobilized protein-molecules enables us see them move"

6.2 Towards the development of an R&D cluster in Okinawa

  • Date: October 6-7, 2010
  • Venue: OIST Campus
  • Speakers: Ulf Skoglund, OIST
  • Title: "Example from the Structural Cellular Biology Unit at OIST"

6.3 Symposium: New Faces of Atomic Nuclei

  • Date: November 16, 2010
  • Venue: OIST Campus
  • Speakers: Ulf Skoglund, OIST
  • Other remarks: Talk title:"Freeze the macromolecules to see them dance"

6.4 Okinawa Innovation Forum

  • Date: December 17, 2010
  • Venue: Okinawa Innovation Forum
  • Speakers: Ulf Skoglund, OIST
  • Other remarks: Talk title: "The development of an enabling imaging technology that strongly enhances the possibilities both for basic researchers and for industrial applications."