Long-range electrodynamic INteractions between proteinS

ongoing

LINkS will change the paradigm of the self-organization of the intracellular living matter by demonstrating the existence of Long-range ElectroDynamic Interactions (LEDIs) between proteins. LEDIs may act as a long distance protein-protein attractive mechanism expanding above several hundred of Angströms that could explain the high spatial organization and coordination of biomolecular reactions; responsible for the transmission of information in cells. LEDIs result from condensation phenomenon, characterized by the emerging of the mode of lowest frequency; expected in the TeraHertz (THz) frequency band. However, to date, LEDIs have eluded detection, partly because previous theoretical predictions were incorrect, but also because performing THz spectroscopy in aqueous media is a well-known technological roadblock not yet overcome. LINkS will develop a breakthrough lab-on-chip THz biosensor technology to investigate LEDIs between proteins, from in-vitro to in-vivo. No competing or alternative technology exist yet. To this end, LINkS consortium gathers interdisciplinary expertise including theoretical biophysics, cell biology, nanotechnology and microfluidic engineering. Three academic partners and two SMEs, from four European countries will work in strong collaboration, across the traditional boundaries of their disciplines, to develop a disruptive lab-on-chip THz biosensor able to investigate LEDIs in the real complexity of biological systems. LINkS technology will effectively address proteomic analysis and related markets for the benefit of society as a whole. In the long-term, its ramifications will have significant benefits for drug discovery, biomarker identification and associated personalised therapies, and for understanding the influence of electromagnetic fields on living organisms; thus opening up new fields of research in medicine and biology.