Deadly
toxin may hold key to Otago scientist's study
ODT,
20.3.2006
The secrets of a toxin often targeted by terrorists
could be unlocked by a scheme linking scientists in
New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
Heads
together ... Networking-researchers (standing
from left) Dr Jon Cooper (London), Dr Sharon Kendall
(London). Dr Shaun Lott (Auckland), Dr Julia Horsfield
(Auckland), Prof Keith George (Liverpool), and
Dr Robert Spooner (Warwick) and front, from left,
Dr Stephanie Hughes (Auckland), Dr Liz Ledgerwood
(University of Otago), Dr Margarete Heck (Edinburgh)
and Dr Phil Ainslie (Otago University) will be
collaborating this week. |
The scheme, the British Council's International Networking
for, Young Scientists programme, has brought five UK
scientists to Dunedin this week to meet New Zealanders
working in similar fields.
The five include Dr Robert Spooner, from the toxin
research group at the University of Warwick, who will
link up with University of Otago department of biochemistry
research fellow Dr Liz Ledgerwood.
Dr Ledgerwood said she was involved in a project at
Otago trying to understand how proteins fold into the
correct shape in a cell.
Incorrect protein folding can cause disease, such as
cystic fibrosis.
"We are specifically interested in a new potential
'protein folding assistant' called ERp29 and we think
that ricin may be one of the types of proteins that
ERp29 folds," she said.
Ricin, which is obtained from castor beans, has been
widely targeted as a weapon by terrorists because the
protein is both deadly and relatively easily accessible.
Dr Ledgerwood said their work not only had the potential
to clarify how the toxin worked but also held out the
prospect of developing treatments for those exposed
to it.
"What we are doing is very much fundamental research,
understanding it at a basic level," she said.
The lethal nature of ricin meant some experiments they
wanted to do could not be done in New Zealand, but Dr
Spooner's laboratory routinely worked with it so might
be able to help, she said.
The networking programme was a great opportunity to
meet someone working in a similar field face-to-face
and it could provide mutual benefits.
Five New Zealand post-doctoral science researchers
are involved in the initiative, that aims to establish
life-long collaborations. Of those, two are from Otago
and three from the University of Auckland.
They each selected a researcher working in Britain
to come to New Zealand.
British Council science and technology manager Felicity
Connell said they wanted to generate closer contact
between New Zealand and British science.
On Wednesday night two of the scientists involved,
Dr Phil Ainslie, of the University of Otago, and Professor
Keith George, from John Moores University, in Liverpool,
will talk about their work at the University of Otago
Staff Club from 5.45pm till 7.30pm.
|
