Research
Structural Biology
- Plant Biophysics Group
Participants
- Ingo Dreyer (PhD)
- Maria Rubio Melendez (PhD)
- Carlos Navarro Retamal (PhD)
- Naomí Hernández (Undergraduate student)
- Luisa Willmann (Guest student)
Research lines
- Computational plant cell biology
- Electrical signaling in plants
Postdocs
- Carlos Navarro Retamal; Fondecyt Postdoc; Structural determinants of the permeation through two-pore channels (TPC) from plants and animals
- Maria Rubio Melendez; Fondecyt Postdoc; Canales “Gap Junction” en el pulgón verde del duraznero (Myzus persicae): Potencial uso para el control de áfidos
- Computational plant cell biology
- Electrical signaling in plants
- Computational Structural Biology of Membrane Proteins group
Head Of Group
Ariela Vergara Jaque
Postdoctoral Researcher
Pablo Galaz Davison
Research Assistant
Valentina Garrido Espinoza
PhD Students
Nicolás Peña Vilches
Mariela González Avendaño
Roberto Rosales Rojas
Dr. Vergara-Jaque’s group uses sophisticated computational methodologies to study membrane proteins that function as channels and transporters. Our goal is to understand how membrane proteins rearrange their internal structure to allow or block the passage of specific substances to either side of the membrane. Moreover, we are interested in revealing the structural basis of protein−protein interactions regulating the function of membrane proteins.
Participants
- Ariela Vergara-Jaque (Bioinformatics Engineer, PhD. in Applied Sciences): Group leader
- Héctor Montecino (Bioinformatics Engineer): Research assistant
- Ivana Orellana: Undergraduate thesis student
- Genoveva Rojas: Undergraduate thesis student
Research Lines
- Sequence and structural bioinformatics.
- Molecular modeling.
- Protein-protein docking simulations.
- Molecular dynamics.
- Free-energy calculations.
Collaborations
- Miguel Holmgren. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. National Institutes of Health, Maryland, USA.
- Peying Fong. Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Kansas State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas, USA.
- Tomas Lagace. Atherosclerosis, Genetics and Cell Biology Research Group, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Canada.
Funding
- Fondecyt Research Initiation Grant Nº 11170223. Exploring the structural basis of membrane transporter dysfunction associated with neural and endocrine diseases. Principal Investigator.
- Fondecyt Postdoctorate Nº 3180484. Heteroaryl-acrylonitrile derivatives as inhibitors of NADPH Oxidases in an isoform-specific manner. Sponsoring Researcher.
- Millennium Nucleus of Ion Channels−Associated Diseases (MiNICAD). Young Investigator.
Former Members
- Martina Inostroza obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering in Bioinformatics in 2024. Her thesis focused on the identification of PIP2 binding sites in TRP channel family members.
- Valentina Garrido obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering in Bioinformatics in 2023. Her thesis focused on the design of peptide structures to inhibit protein–protein interactions involved in the formation of the CatSpermatosome.
- Nicole Soto obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering in Bioinformatics in 2023. Her thesis focused on the characterization of protein–protein interactions mediated by 14-3-3 proteins.
- Tiaren Ruiz obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering in Bioinformatics in 2022. Her thesis focused on exploring the structural determinants of the association between TRPM4 and TRPC1 channels.
- Isabel García obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering in Bioinformatics in 2022. Her thesis was focused on the identification of integrins as potential drug targets for the design of therapies against colorectal cancer.
- Belen Maldonado obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Yachay Tech University-Ecuador in 2021. Her thesis was focused on the bioinformatic analysis of three-dimensional structures of neutralizing antibodies associated with SARS-CoV-2.
- Simón Zuñiga obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering in Bioinformatics in 2021. His thesis was focused on the development of the web platform PPI-MASS.
- Nicolás Peña obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering in Bioinformatics in 2021. His thesis was focused on describing protein-protein interactions associated with TRP channels.
- Julio Salgado obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering in Bioinformatics in 2021. His thesis was focused on the uptake of nicotinate and related compounds by the sodium-coupled monocarboxylate transporter 1 (SMCT1).
- Mariela González obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Bioinformatics Engineering in 2019. Her thesis was focused on the characterization of conformational changes in secondary active transporters revealed by their inverted-topology structural repeats.
- Ivana Orellana obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Bioinformatics Engineering in 2018. Her thesis was focused on the molecular insights into dopamine transporter inhibition mediated my G proteins.
- Genoveva Rojas obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Bioinformatics Engineering in 2018. Her thesis was focused on structural and regulatory interactions of the C-terminal domain of dopamine transporter.
- Sequence and structural bioinformatics.
- Molecular modeling.
- Protein-protein docking simulations.
- Molecular dynamics.
- Free-energy calculations.
- Biotechnology and protein desing Group
Participants
- Luis Campos – alumno doctorado
- Francisca Reyes – alumna doctorado
- Marcela Vega – investigador postdoctoral
- Claudia Pareja – investigador postdoctoral
- Ignacia Chamorro – ing. en Biotecnología
- Bruno Covarrubia – alumno bioquímica
Research Lines
- Protein design and production for the food industry
- Protein characterization through structural bioinformatic and structural biology
Collaborations
- Jose Antonio Reyes (UTALCA)
- Felipe Besoain (UTALCA)
- Renzo Angles (UTALCA)
- Jorge Villaseñor (UTALCA)
- Felipe Arenas (USACH)
- Carlos Vera (USACH)
Funding
- Fondecyt Research Initiation Grant Nº 11180665. “Identification and characterization of the regulatory iron binding site from the Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans transcription factor“. (2018-2020).
- FIC–R Maule 2017 No. BIP Nº40.001.111-0. “Nuevo servicio biotecnológico para la industria alimentaria basado en el diseño y producción de enzimas“. (2018-2020).
- Protein design and production for the food industry
- Protein characterization through structural bioinformatic and structural biology
- Structure-Function of membrane proteins group
Participants
- Víctor Ríos (Asistente de investigación laboratorio húmedo)
- Mauricio González (Asistente de investigación laboratorio computacional)
- Jocelyn Solorza (PhD candidate)
- Constanza González (PhD candidate)
- Raúl Rojas (PhD candidate)
- Claudio Illanes (PhD candidate)
- Javier Rojas (PhD student)
- Rachell Aravena (Undergraduate)
Research Lines
- Transport systems in biological membranes
- Structure and function relation of plant ion channels and ion transporters
- Combination of experimental (molecular biology and electrophysiology among others) and computational (homology modeling and molecular dynamics simulation) approaches
Collaborations
- Dr. Christina Kühn, Faculty of Life Sciences Institute of Biology, Plant Physiology, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany
- Dr. Miguel Piñeros, Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health (USDA-ARS), Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Dr. Maria Pertusa, Biology Department, Faculty of Chemistry and Biology, University of Santiago de Chile
Funding
- Fondecyt Regular (#1240167), “Identification and characterization of external substrate binding sites in plant sugar/H+ symporters by deciphering the sugar specificity of plant apple and pear STP13 transporters”, 2024-2028, Principle Investigator
- Internal grant from the University of Talca for “Promotion and strengthening of research, development, creation and innovation led by women academics”, “Comprobando el estado de oligomerización de la proteína OsHKT de Oryza sativa”, 2023-2024, Principle Investigator
- Fondecyt Iniciación en Investigación (#1190767), “Investigation of the pH sensor of the plant sucrose/H symporter StSUT1 from Solanum tuberosum”, 2019-2022, Principle Investigator
- Convocatoria Nacional Subvención A La Instalación En La Academia, (#PAI77170035), “Elucidación del mecanismo de conducción iónica de los canales K+/Na+ HKT de plantas mediante estudios computacionales y experimentales”, 2017-2020 , Principle Investigator
- Fondecyt Postdoctorado (#3150173), “Investigation of the selectivity and ion conduction mechanism of HKT Na+/K+ transporters”, 2014-2017, Principle Investigator
- Transport systems in biological membranes
- Structure and function relation of plant ion channels and ion transporters
- Combination of experimental (molecular biology and electrophysiology among others) and computational (homology modeling and molecular dynamics simulation) approaches
- The Wendy González Group
Head Of Group
Wendy González www.cbsm.utalca.cl/wendylabParticipants
- Wendy González (Ph.D.)
- Brandon Usuga (Ph.D.)
- Yuliet Mazola (Ph.D.)
- Erbio Díaz (PhD. student)
- Estanislao Márquez (PhD. student)
- Javiera Baeza (PhD. student)
- Luciano Peña (PhD. student)
- Benjamin Rojas (PhD. student)
- Martin Muñoz (PhD. student)
- Daniel Mancilla (PhD. student, W.G. acts as a co-advisor)
- Srijan Banerjee (PhD. student, W.G. acts as a co-advisor)
- Tamara Rojas (PhD. student, W.G. acts as a co-advisor)
Research Lines
- Biophysics of ion channels
- Ion channels-drugs interactions
- Molecular Modeling
- Bioinformatics
Funding
- Fondecyt regular. Wendy gonzalez (principal). Ligand and structure-based polypharmacology of k channels from the primary sensory neurons (2023,2027).
- Fondecyt regular. Wendy Gonzalez (coinvestigador). Multidisciplinary generation of highly specific peptidic blockers of task-3 channel with antitumoral effect and targeting moiety for nanotherapeutics (2023,2027).
- Fondecyt regular. Wendy gonzalez (coinvestigador). The c-terminal of cx46 modulates the phosphorylation of akt1 through protein-protein interactions(2023,2027).
- Wendy gonzalez (principal). Pharmacological research node for drug development: targeting multidrug resistance in cancer and microbial diseases (pia interno) (2024,2027).
- Biophysics of ion channels
- Ion channels-drugs interactions
- Molecular Modeling
- Bioinformatics
