2017 ISOBC NEWSLETTER Volume 12, Number 3 Dec 2017 Volume 12, Number3 Iran Society of Biophysical Chemistry 2017 ISOBC NEWSLETTER Volume 12, Number 3 A brief introduction to MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB), Cambridge University Medical Research Council (MRC)-Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB) was established in 1913. It is a publicly funded government agency responsible for funding medical research in the United Kingdom. MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB) is a world-class research laboratory in Cambridge dedicated to understanding important biological processes at the molecular level – with the goal of using this knowledge to tackle major problems in human health and disease. Over the years, the work of LMB scientists has resulted into winning 11 Nobel prizes (8 in the field of chemistry and 3 for physiology or medicine) as follows: 2017 – Richard Henderson “for developing cryo-electron microscopy for the high-resolution structure determination of biomolecules in solution” 2013 – Michael Levitt “for the development of multiscale models for complex chemical systems” 2009 – Venki Ramakrishnan “for studies of the structure and function of the ribosome” 2002 – Sydney Brenner, Bob Horvitz & John Sulston “for their discoveries concerning the ‘genetic regulation of organ development and programmed cell death’ in C. elegans” 1997 – John Walker “for their elucidation of the enzymatic mechanism underlying the synthesis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP)” 1984 – César Milstein & Georges Köhler “for theories concerning the specificity in control and development of the immune system and the discovery of the principle for production of monoclonal antibodies” 1982 – Aaron Klug “for his development of crystallographic electron microscopy and his structural elucidation of biologically important nucleic acid-protein complexes” 2017 ISOBC NEWSLETTER Volume 12, Number 3 1980 – Fred Sanger “for their contributions concerning the determination of base sequences in nucleic acids” 1962 – John Kendrew & Max Perutz “for their studies of the structures of globular proteins” 1962 – Francis Crick & James Watson “for their discoveries concerning the molecular structure of nucleic acids and its significance for information transfer in living material” 1958 – Fred Sanger “for his work on the structure of proteins, especially that of insulin” References: https://www.cambridge.org http://www2.mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk https://www.mrc.ac.uk https://en.wikipedia.org Prepared by S. Fatemeh Hejrati, PhD student in Biophysics Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran 2017 ISOBC NEWSLETTER Volume 12, Number 3 3rd IASBS Symposium in Biological Sciences Protein Folding and Stability Zanjan, Iran, November 2-4, 2017 This is a good opportunity to present the outcome of 3rd IASBS symposium in biological sciences “Protein Folding and Stability”, which was held from 2-4 November, 2017 in Institute for Advances Studies in Basic Sciences (IASBS), Zanjan, Iran. IASBS is an advanced research center and graduate University in Zanjan. The aim of this conference was to create an opportunity for presenting the latest scientific and research achievements in the different fields of protein folding, more connections among professors, students and researchers to exchange ideas and collaboration in scientific purposes and also more connections among national and international universities. About 40 papers were accepted by the conference scientific committee as the posters. Outstanding national and international scientists were invited to provide lectures, courses, and workshops. 2017 ISOBC NEWSLETTER Volume 12, Number 3 Welcome Speeches The opening of conference was held in the morning of the first day of conference, 4th November, including the speech of Professor Babak Karimi the President of IASBS,then the short talk entitled " Worth of Intermediates in Protein Folding'' given by Professor Ali Akbar Moosavi-Movahedi, Professor of Biophysical Chemistry at University of Tehran and President of Iran Society of Biophysical Chemistry. The highlight of his talk was the fact that proteins are responsible for nearly every task of cellular life and intermediates are often the critical species in misfolding processes that lead to aggregation and disease. He continued about protein as the life machine; protein flexibility allowing the construction of biological machines; protein-surfactant interactions helping us to recognize the protein sub-structures and sub-sites and also crucial ligand for trapping the intermediates in protein folding/unfolding; the advantage of surfactant resides in its direct binding with protein; an d finally, the intermediates in protein folding should being in short time spans such as femto, atto, zepto seconds. The official welcome speech were given by Dr Maryam Rouhani the General Secretary of Conference and Dr. Leila Hasani, the Head of Department of Biological Science at IASBS. Programs On the first and second day, scientific lectures were completed and in the third day a workshop was held by Professor Daniel Otzen, from Department of Molecular Biology at Aarhus University, Denmark. The workshop was about protein fibrillation, detection of protofibrils and the effect of some synthetic materials on inhibitory of protein fibrillation. In the first day, Professor Otzen and Professor Rizwan Hasan Khan from Interdisciplinary Biotechnology Unit, AMU, Aligarh, India presented the plenary lectures. 2017 ISOBC NEWSLETTER Volume 12, Number 3 The list of Professors and academic speakers is as follows: Invited Speakers Titles Mojtaba Amani The effect of osmolytes on proteins undergoing irreversible denaturation Abdol-Khalegh Bordbar Structural and energetic study on the interaction of RNase A and Lysozyme enzymes with cationic gemini surfactants Azadeh Ebrahim-Habibi Looking at the aggregation process of proteins at different levels: use of in silico, in vitro, and in vivo models Mehran Habibi-Rezaei Perturbing protein folding toward protein aggregation Hamid Hadi-Alijanvand Designing malwares using 4dMT method for hacking protein fibril formation Khosrow Khajeh Enzymes as key players in diseases and industrial progresses Khosrow Khalifeh An overview of protein folding studies Ali Akbar Meraten Strategies for protein aggregation inhibition: focused on natural small molecules Daniel Erik Otzen Targeting the alpha-synuclein oligomer: a target in Parkinson's Disease therapy Fabrizio Chiti The structural determinants of the toxicity (Teleconference) of protein misfolded oligomers Rizwan Hasan Khan Mechanism of protein aggregation and amyloid formation and its inhibition Overall, the conference had attractive scientific achievement for participants and provided a good opportunity for interdisciplinary collaboration in the field of protein folding studies. Prepared by: Elnaz Hosseini and Parvin Abazari PhD Students in Biophysics, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics (IBB), University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran 2017 ISOBC NEWSLETTER Volume 12, Number 3 Commemoration of the 30th Anniversary of Biophysical Chemistry Laboratory (BCL) Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics (IBB), University of Tehran November 4, 2017 Commemoration ceremony of the 30th Anniversary of Biophysical Chemistry Laboratory (BCL) was hosted by the Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences in Zanjan, with the participation of graduates and national speakers on November 4th, 2017. The Biophysical Chemistry Laboratory (BCL) [bcl.ut.ac.ir] which is supervised by Professor Ali Akbar Moosavi-Movahedi, Professor of Biophysical Chemistry, was established in 1986 at Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics (IBB), University of Tehran as the main base and the mother of biophysical chemistry in Iran and entered the realm of serious competition with world-renowned research labs. BCL is a famous worldwide research lab in the area of thermodynamics of protein denaturation and biomacromolecular interaction affiliated at the University of Tehran. Up to now more than 150 alumni who are currently working at the universities and research institutes and industries are graduated from BCL. Researchers and students at BCL have published numerous articles in prestigious international journals and also have received numerous awards at national and international levels, i.e. Khwarizmi International Award, “jashnvareh tahghighati Razi”, National Elite Foundation Awards, International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (IUBMB) awards, top ESI (Essential Science Indicator) scientists, Fellow in The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), Fellow in Islamic World Academy of Sciences (IAS). The Biophysical Chemistry Laboratory is one of the first admission centers for foreign and domestic post-doctoral researchers at the University of Tehran. The opening of ceremony was held with a lecture entitled”Global Science Diplomacy of BCL” given by Professor Ali A. Moosavi-Movahedi, the President of Iran Society of Biophysical Chemistry, after what Dr. Maryam Nourisefat presented a lecture entitled "Scientific Achievements of BCL" and the subject of "The Role of BCL on Advancement of Science, Culture and Innovation" was lectured by Mr. Vahid Sheikhhasani, PhD student in Biophysics and member of BCL. After the speeches, the BCL alumni and authorities of UNESCO Chair on Interdisciplinary Research in Diabetes and ISOBC representatives in Iran and abroad held a round table with the subject of "New horizons of ISOBC in the region". This program was scheduled on the occasion of 30th Anniversary