Dr. Louis T.J. Delbaere
When a ground-breaking new drug is introduced to the world market, it’s front page news. When landmark research sheds new light on the molecular structure of proteins — vital information in the design of new drugs to treat heart disease, diabetes, cancer and more — it makes the weekend science section. Fair? Hardly, but the man behind the research doesn’t seem to mind.
Dr. Delbaere is Head of the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine, and a world leader in research on the structure and function of proteins.
“We use x-ray crystallography to study protein structures and to correlate their structures with the functions of particular proteins,†he explains. “If the proteins are involved in important metabolic pathways, or can be used as potential pharmaceutical targets, then the actual structures may be used to design drugs of medical relevance.â€
By understanding how structure relates to its function, Dr. Delbaere is opening the door for other researchers to design drugs that prevent unwanted interactions. One of his current projects, for example, involves the bacterial enzyme, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase or PCK. PCK activity is thought to be necessary for bacterial growth in E. coli, which causes the vast majority of urinary tract infections developed outside of hospital. PCK is also a central enzyme in carbohydrate metabolism in humans and other mammals. It helps regulate blood glucose levels and has been suggested as a potential drug target in the treatment of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus.
The research requires synchrotron radiation, so extensive use will be made of the Canadian Light Source (CLS) once the facility is operational in early 2004. Dr. Delbaere has been a driving force behind the development of a protein beamline at the CLS.
Although his research rarely makes headlines, that’s not to say it never happens, and Dr. Delbaere is savvy enough to take advantage of the opportunities. When his crystal experiments on board space station Mir and space shuttle Discovery captured the country’s attention, he used the attention to promote the relevance of science to our everyday lives. The announcement of his Canada Research Chair provided another opportunity, both to increase public awareness of the benefits of scientific research and to enhance the national and international profile of research at the University of Saskatchewan.
“The Canada Research Chair opens up the whole area for us. It allows us to expand in research, training and collaboration. We can recruit more protein crystallographers and bring in more collaborative researchers to add to our knowledge. We can take on more graduate students, and pursue projects related to cholera and tuberculosis that would otherwise be on the backburner,†Dr. Delbaere says. “There’s more freedom, more excitement. We can use our imaginations to make this a centre of excellence for protein crystallography.â€
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