Title: "Unlocking the Secrets of Breath and Defense: Surfactant Proteins' Role in Lung Health and Fighting Disease"
Abstract: Imagine the very molecules that allow us to breathe also standing as sentinels against viral invaders. In this talk, we exlore the fascinating world of Surfactant Proteins B (SP-B) and D (SP-D), uncovering their dual roles in maintaining pulmonary function and defending our lungs from disease. Leveraging advanced computational techniques, our research highlights the dyamic structural properties of SP-B, a surfactant protein, essential for the breath. By constructing a computational model based on the crystallized Mini B structure and saposin proteins, we explored how SP-B adapts to various alveolar environments through molecular dynamics simulations. These simulations, conducted on both open and closed states of SP-B in hydrophilic and hydrophobic contexts, provide insights into its conformational stability and functional adaptability. In parallel, we investigated SP-D's antiviral function, particularly its enhanced efficacy against Influenza A in a double mutant variant (Asp325Ala and Arg343Val). Full-atomistic molecular dynamics simulations revealed how these mutations improve SP-D's binding to the viral glycan trimannose, deepening our understanding of surfactant protein dynamics and suggesting new therapeutic pathways for combating pulmonary diseases and viral infections.
Biography: Dr. Mona Minkara is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Bioengineering and an Affiliate Faculty in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Northeastern University. She leads the COMBINE (Computational Modeling for Biointerface Engineering) Lab, where her research focuses on the study of pulmonary surfactant, a complex protein-lipid substance secreted by the alveoli in the lungs. Dr. Minkara's lab applies computational tools to biomolecular problems, with a particular emphasis on developing innovative approaches to protein and surfactant modeling. Her work highlights the efficacy of computational methods in drug discovery and in understanding the pulmonary surfactant system, with potential therapeutic applications in medicine. As a blind scientist, Dr. Minkara is dedicated to making science more accessible and inclusive by engineering new tools for blind and partially sighted scientists, and she is involved in several initiatives to promote accessibility in STEM fields. She earned her B.A. from Wellesley College and her Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Florida, Quantum Theory Project. Before joining Northeastern, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Chemical Theory Center supported by a NASEM Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship. Dr. Minkara is a 2024 recipient of both an NSF CAREER Award and an NIH MIRA Award for her research.
LOCATION:Pfizer Lecture Hall STATUS:CONFIRMED DTSTART:20250414T203000Z DTEND:20250414T214500Z END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR