NIH Invests $2M in UMD-led Study of Role of Lipids and Proteins in Diseases

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has invested $2 million in a University of Maryland-led computational study geared toward developing foundational models for lipids and their interactions with proteins.

Professor Jeffery Klauda in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering is leading the study, which is focused on improving the accuracy of molecular dynamics simulations—tools that mimic these interactions. It aims to gain a better understanding of the development of mechanisms associated with elevated cholesterol and diseases including cancer and multiple sclerosis. The study could lay the foundation for future disease treatments focusing on cholesterol transport within cells and signaling proteins associated with cellular growth.

Klauda said that the impact of this work extends to a broad variety of research applications.

“These models will allow researchers across the globe to accurately simulate cellular membranes and associated proteins toward investigating a plethora of disease mechanisms and development of associated treatments,” said Klauda.