Mission
Recognizing the importance of developing therapies to repair damaged cells, The University of Chicago and a group of core investigators have organized a center for interdisciplinary research on molecular cell repair. The center will facilitate communications and collaborations between the University’s faculties and provide a structure to train new scientists in the field. This effort coincides with the rapid growth of structural biology and the emerging need to translate this wealth of information into a deeper understanding of cell injury and new modes of therapy.

Alteration of cellular proteins or organelles due to reactive chemicals or high-energy physical stresses represents the most common mechanism of tissue injury leading to tissue necrosis. Diseases such as myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular stroke, cerebral palsy, burns, electrical shock, and acute radiation poisoning are examples.  The success of modern gene therapy also depends on repair of the cell membrane after insertion of new genetic material. When normal cellular repair functions are incapable of managing the cell injury, pharmaceutical intervention can be lifesaving.  The mission of the Center for Molecular Repair is to investigate strategies that restore cell membranes, organelles, and proteins to normal operating conditions, while training scientists and clinicians in this new field of research.

Investigators

Raphael C. Lee, MD, ScD - Director

John C. Alverdy, MD (Anti-bacterial polymers)
Lance Becker, MD (Emergency Resuscitation)
Walter Chwals, MD (Intestinal Reperfusion)
William Cromie, MD (Testicular Reperfusion)
Martin Feder, Ph.D. (Molecular Chaperones)
Mildred Firestone, Ph.D. (Membrane Structure)
David Frim, MD, PhD (Brain Injury)
Gregory Karczmar, PhD (MR Molecular Imaging)
Val Jeevanandum, MD (Myocardial Preservation)
Ka Yee Lee, Ph.D. (Surfactant Biophysics)
Raphael C. Lee, MD, Sc.D. (High-Energy Trauma)
Marvin Makinen, Ph.D. (Molecular Spectroscopy)
Jeremy Marks, MD, Ph.D. (Neonatal Brain Injury)
Ted Steck, Ph.D. (Membrane Chemistry)
Terry Vanden Hoek, MD (Myocardial Preservation)
Luping Yu, Ph.D. (Synthetic Chemistry)

Core Research Initiatives

• Molecular design of amphiphilic block copolymers for effective sealing of damaged cell membranes;
• Structural characterization of damaged cell membrane lipid bilayers using X-ray and neutron scattering as well as AFM morphometery;
• Mechanism of HSP induced membrane sealing: is membrane binding needed? ;
• Multi-focal ESR spin probe labeling of biopolymer domains to determine water-membrane interaction energies;
• Neuronal cell survival and function following sealing of peroxidated cell membranes;
• Biomimetic biopolymer design and synthesis based on chaparone and chaparonin structures;
• Determination the in-vivo effectiveness of membrane sealing following cerebrovascular stroke, myocardial ischemia, testicular torsion and burn injuries;
• Development of enhanced tissue preservation media for transplantation to reduce rate of late apoptosis;
• US FDA Clinical Trial: P188 for reduction of tissue injury in electrical trauma victims.

Research
Collaborations