The Moritz Lab develops and applies quantitative protein chemistry and proteomic techniques to advance biomedical research, and improve treatments and therapies for diseases such as cancer, emphysema, Lyme, and malaria.
A sample tray and autosampler at ISB lab facilities. Photo credit: ISB.
COPD, a group of lung diseases including emphysema and chronic bronchitis, is the sixth leading cause of death in the US. It is strongly affected by cigarette smoking and genetic predisposition, but how and why COPD evolves is not clear. The Moritz Lab with the Brigham and Women’s Hospital is investigating the underlying biology of COPD to suggest new treatments and potential clinical trials.
Illustration of proteins and puzzle pieces. Image credit: ISB.
Understanding proteins and their interactions in networks is critical in biomedical and biological research. Eric Deutsch in the Moritz Lab with NSF funding is leading an international collaboration using new methods to: extract more information from existing data, including the abundance of specific proteins; improve the mapping of protein networks; and ensure all is available to and useable by researchers.
3D rendering of a protein. Image credit: RSCB Protein Databank, recolored by ISB.
Understanding proteins – around 20,000 – that control many biological processes is critical in researching disease therapies. The Moritz Lab’s Eric Deutsch with the University of San Diego is developing a database of human proteins that have been deeply characterized, allowing researchers worldwide to freely share, find, access and reuse data on currently 17,000 and eventually all proteins.
Close up of lab work at ISB. Photo credit: Scott Eklund / Red Box Pictures.
Malaria vaccines offer limited protection. These vaccines target proteins on a parasite that transmits malaria to humans by mosquito salvia. Kristian Swearingen in the Moritz lab, with Seattle Children’s Research Institute, is developing a deeper understanding of these parasite proteins to help meet the World Health Organization’s goal of having a vaccine with protective efficacy of at least 75%.
View of a mosquito under a microscope. Image credit: Dr. Kristian Swearingen/ISB.
Of the two vaccines against malaria, both have <50% efficacy against severe illness, and don’t prevent transmission of the parasite that causes malaria as it cycles from mosquitos to humans. Kristian Swearingen in the Moritz lab, with Seattle Children’s Research Institute is accelerating vaccine developmen by identifying transmission-blocking parasite target proteins.
Servers holding vast amounts of data. Image credit: Microsoft Azure / ISB.
The NIH’s National Center for Advancing Translational Science is creating a Biomedical Data Translator to combine vast amounts of medical research knowledge to speed up the development of new treatments. Eric Deutsch of the Moritz Lab with Oregon State and Penn State is developing standard user interfaces enabling researchers to query and explore biomedical knowledge.
Like the draft “shotgun” Human Genome Project of the Human Genome Organization (HUGO), the HPP has now reached a significant decadal milestone of more than 90 percent completion of the Human Proteome that is referred to as the human proteome “parts list.”
ISB researchers and their collaborators are using systems biology approaches to learn how the malaria parasite is able to transfer to humans via the bite of an infected mosquito. The information they have uncovered may help identify new ways to prevent people from contracting the deadly disease.
Members of the Moritz lab, as part of an international consortium centered in Bolzano Italy, reports this week in Cell, “Current Biology”, a multi-omic approach to identify the stomach contents and microbiome of the 5300 year old Mummy, Oetzi, the Iceman from the Oetzal Alps on the Austrian/Italian border.
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