Annual Symposium - Recent advances in membrane biochemistry 2011

This symposium will highlight some of the recent advances in molecular membrane biochemistry. Membrane biology underpins a vast array of life processes such as bioenergetics, signalling and transport. In the last few years advances in this field has led to the development of large scale expression and purification of mammalian transmembrane proteins. This has then been paramount to enabling efficient crystallization and elucidation of the 3-dimensional structures of transmembrane proteins to occur.

In addition, other biophysical techniques have also been employed to further understand membrane protein structure, conformations, and interactions with other membrane components.

This symposia will focus on a number of key areas of current research advances, which will form the basis of 5 sessions:

1. Membrane protein expression and 3-dimensional structural analysis.
2. Examples of expression / structure analysis of membrane proteins which are of current interest.
3. Computer modelling of membrane protein structure, membrane protein folding and dynamics.
4. Lipid-protein interactions.
   
5. Membrane proteins in disease.