Omics approaches to study Receptor Tyrosine Kinase functional selectivity in complex environment

This highly multidisciplinary project will promote a creative and curiosity-driven approach to address the fundamental question how signalling specificity underlying cell homeostasis is regulated by integrating cutting-edge mass spectrometry (MS)-based phosphoproteomics and structural proteomics with bioinformatics and functional assays.

This will address BBSRC remits for 'understanding the rule of life' and for 'transformative technologies'.

Omics investigation (Francavilla) of Receptor Tyrosine Kinase signalling upon stimulation with different growth factors at different concentration will generate complex datasets to be analysed with advanced bioinformatics (Schwartz) and structural biology (Tabernero) tools followed by validation in a variety of cell-based assays (Francavilla).

Thus, this project will exploit how a systems biology approach enables advancements in scientific discoveries when integrated with defined biological endpoints.

Furthermore, training will be provided in quantitative proteomics, structural biology, bioinformatics, and core research disciplines (molecular and cell biology), thus forming the next generation of protein scientists.