Maria Teresa Pisabarro

Protein structure-function relationships, molecular recognition and design

Previous and current research

Integrative Bioinformatics for structure-based functional annotation of uncharacterized proteins and new target discovery

We are developing and applying Structural Bioinformatics and Computational Biology methods for identification and structure-based functional annotation of uncharacterized proteins.

Computational studies on molecular recognition for engineering and rational design

• - Characterization of protein structure-function relationships and "3D fingerprinting"
• - Detailed computational characterization of protein interfaces and their classification for comparative structural analysis
• - Comparative analysis and prediction of protein-protein and protein-ligand interactions
• - Engineering and rational design of proteins and ligands of therapeutical and/or biotechnological interests

SCOWLP: A web-based database developed in our group for detailed characterization, classification and visualization of protein interfaces (www.scowlp.org)

Future prospects and goals

1. Integrative Bioinformatics for structure-based functional annotation of uncharacterized proteins and new target discovery:

We are developing and applying Structural Bioinformatics and Computational Biology methods for identification and structure-based functional annotation of uncharacterized proteins

2. Computational studies on molecular recognition for rational engineering and de novo design

- Characterization of protein structure-function relationships and "3D fingerprinting".
- Detailed computational characterization of protein interfaces and their classification for comparative structural analysis.
- Comparative analysis and prediction of protein-protein and protein-ligand interactions.
- Engineering and rational design of proteins and ligands of therapeutical and/or biotechnological interests.

About

1997: PhD in Structural and Computational Biology at EMBL Heidelberg 1997-1998: Postdoctoral work at EMBL Heidelberg and the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) 1998-2001: Group Leader, Protein Engineering, Genentech, San Francisco, USA 2002-2004: Visiting scientist at MPI-CBG Dresden since 2004: Group Leader, Structural Bioinformatics, BIOTEC TU Dresden

Selected publications

Baldauf, C.; Pisabarro, M. T. "Stable Hairpins with β-Peptides - A Route to Tackle Protein-Protein Interactions". J. Phys. Chem. B, 112(25):7581-91 (2008)

Teyra, J. and Pisabarro, M. T. "Characterization of Interfacial Solvent in Protein Complexes and Contribution of Wet Spots to the Interface Description". PROTEINS: Structure, Function, and Bioinformatics, 67, 1087-1095 (2007)

Pisabarro, M. T.; Leung, B; Kwong, M.; Corpuz, R.; Frantz, G. D.; Chiang, N.; Vandlen, R.; Diehl, L. J.; Skelton, N.; Eaton, D.; Schmidt, K. N. “Novel Human Dendritic Cell- and Monocyte-attracting Chemokine-like Protein Identified by Fold Recognition Methods". Journal of Immunology, 176, 2069-2073 (2006)

Kittler, R.; Putz, G.; Pelletier, L.; Poser, I.; Heninger, A. K.; Drechsel, D.; Fischer, S.; Konstantinova, I.; Habermann, B.; Grabner, H.; Yaspo, M. L.; Himmelbauer, H.; Korn, B.; Neugebauer, K; Pisabarro, M. T.; Buchholz, F. “An endoribonuclease- prepared siRNA screen in human cells identifies genes essential for cell division”. Nature, 432, 1036-1040 (2004)

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