Dr. Hue Sun Chan

Canada Research Chair in Proteomics, Bioinformatics and Functional Genomics

Research Involves: Deciphering the complex pattern of protein folding

Research Relevance: An essential complement to genome projects in terms of developing new drugs and therapies based on this new knowledge

Unraveling the "second genetic code"

If Hue Sun Chan were a Boy Scout, he'd be working towards the ultimate knot badge. A badge for the understanding of knots that are not only incredibly complex - they make and unmake themselves - but also microscopic. But Chan isn't thinking about the knots you learn to tie at troop meetings. He wants to figure out the process for the folds and loops of the essential ropes of life: proteins.

A solution to the protein folding problem is often likened to deciphering the second genetic code. The main difference being that cracking the protein folding code is even more difficult. The genetic code consists of a sequence of four basic molecules, arranged in a standard form - the famous "double helix." By contrast, proteins can have over twenty constituent parts (amino acids), and have a seemingly endless variety of folded forms.

Researchers have tried to decipher folding patterns in relation to a protein's sequence of amino acids. Chan has been at the forefront of a new method of analysis that examines a wide range of experimental data as determinants of the forces that underlie a protein's folded shape.

In the current project, the biochemist's team will continue this basic approach at the most fundamental level: characterizing the physics of protein folding. The research will result in a quantitative account of the minute forces at play as these molecules fold and unfold. Protein folding will be modelled mathematically, followed by testing of the models against experimental data. Using this approach, Chan plans to document the transition states of folding and unfolding, as well as the folded protein's geometry, topology, and thermodynamics.

It's a Herculean task on a very small scale. And it's made possible with the support from the Canada Research Chair that Chan is receiving. The results of this groundbreaking work would have numerous clinical and pharmaceutical applications here in Canada and around the globe. The effectiveness of many therapeutic drugs depends on an accurate understanding of a protein's intricate folded pattern.

For further information, please contact Dr. Hue Sun Chan using the Email contact form or by phone at 416 978-2697