WFU Joint Physics and Chemistry Colloquium

TITLE: The crosstalk between small molecules and macromolecules, nitric oxide as an example

SPEAKER: Professor Chang Chen

TIME: Wednesday November 14, 2012

PLACE: Room 101 Olin Physical Laboratory

Reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species (ROS and RNS) have critical biological functions essential for normal physiology. However, overproduction or deficiency result in impaired homeostasis and is associated with pathology, such as ageing, atherosclerosis, neurodegenerative diseases, obesity, and diabetes. Our research has been focused on the crosstalk between these small molecules and macromolecules, trying to explore the relationship between protein function and cellular redox status. Our major work is on how nitric oxide (NO) interacts with proteins through protein cysteine thiol modification (S-nitrosation, SNO) in cell signaling transduction and diseases.