Fostering high scientific quality in protein research in Eastern Slovakia

ended

The project “Fostering high scientific quality in protein science in Eastern Slovakia (CasProt)“ supports the second-best classical university in Slovakia, University of Pavol Jozef Safarik in Kosice (UPJS), located in one of the lowest GDP-producing regions in the Widening country Slovakia. The vital connections to the high R&I performing countries - Germany and Switzerland and the scientific excellence of our partners, Technical University in Munich (TUM) and University of Zurich (UZH), will trigger the critical steps toward becoming the UPJS as a leader in the field of protein science in Slovakia. This project will also energize a high-tech development and unfold the innovation potential of our University with the expected impact on the Eastern Slovakia region and consequently whole Slovakia. By means of short-term staff exchange, expert visits training, joint summer schools, workshops, and conference attendance, we will reach the following main objectives of the project: (1) Reinforcement scientific capacity and raise the research profile of the coordinating institution-UPJS in the field of protein science, (2) Identification and integration of the experienced and young/early-stage researchers into UPJS, (3) Enhance and stimulate the technological capacity of the coordinating institution-UPJS, and (4) Strengthening the research management and organizational skills at UPJS. The specific scientific goals of the CasProt project are: (i) to establish highly advanced protein evolution techniques of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCR), and (ii) to develop complex single-molecule force assays and instrumentations (e.g., optical tweezers with confocal fluorescence microscopy detection) for monitoring of the dynamics of wild-type and evolved GPCRs To successfully accomplish all the goals of the project, we chose two highly recognized scientific groups from top academic institutions, a group of prof. Andreas Plückthun (UZH) and group of prof. Matthias Rief (TUM).