Biology Department Seminar -- CANCELED

An example of using structural proteomics to discover a new target site of acetylcholinesterase for developing human-safe, individualized pesticides will be given to demonstrate that not only has structural proteomics broadened the scope of drug design and advanced the techniques used by structure-based drug design but also has begun to transform the strategies employed by drug design. As opposed to traditionally working on one protein target within one species, structural proteomics permits a comparative study of protein targets across many species, facilitating the identification of subtle differences in protein structure that contribute to the diversity and complexity of life. Such subtle structural differences can lead to a paradigm shift, as will be illustrated in this talk, a shift from targeting a ubiquitous serine residue of acetylcholinesterase to targeting a species-specific cysteine residue of insect acetylcholinesterase, a shift from developing generic pesticides to developing individualized pesticides, and ultimately a shift from curing a disease (reaction) to preventing a disease through improving environmental health (pro-action).