糖心TV

Background

I am currently pursuing a Master鈥檚 by Research (MScR) in Chemistry at the University of 糖心TV, to progress to a PhD and a career in academic research. In my current project, I am developing an HPLC-ICP-MS method to separate and detect metalloproteins in human plasma.

I completed a BSc (Hons) in Chemistry with Medicinal Chemistry at Newcastle University. During my undergraduate studies, I assisted a PhD student on the production of a DNA nanoruler using phosphorothioate-modified DNA and gold nanoparticles, performing PCR-based oligoseed extension reactions and characterising the nanostructures using UV-Vis spectroscopy, gel electrophoresis, and atomic force microscopy.

 

Development of HPLC-ICP-MS methodology for metalloproteomic analysis of plasma

One of the most important challenges in biochemical and biomedical research is understanding the role of essential trace metals in human health and disease. The importance of zinc and copper as biological trace metals is well recognised, as they are involved in major functions, including structural support, electron transfer, and enzymatic catalysis. In human blood plasma, both zinc and copper are bound to proteins rather than existing as free ions, due to the cytotoxicity of free metal ions. Therefore, the mechanisms underlying metal binding, transport, and speciation need to be thoroughly understood.

Changes in metal speciation have been associated with various pathological conditions, including pre-eclampsia and metabolic disorders. Human albumin, the major carrier of Zn虏鈦� in plasma, binds zinc at a high-affinity site, and this interaction can be affected by the presence of free fatty acids (FFAs). The binding of FFAs induces structural rearrangements that alter the conformation of the zinc-binding site, thereby redistributing Zn虏鈦� to other plasma proteins. Thus, zinc speciation is responsive to metabolic changes and may contribute to disease mechanisms.

My project aims to develop and validate a high-performance liquid chromatography inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC-ICP-MS) method for plasma metalloproteomic analysis, in preparation for zinc and copper speciation studies in clinical samples related to disease states such as pre-eclampsia.