Integrins are membrane proteins that mediate cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions. These proteins function as heterodimers comprising an α and a β subunit. A variety of available α and β subunit types allows for a diverse combination of integrin heterodimers, each with a specialised function.

In this project, we aim to synthesise αvβ3 integrin – an integrin implicated in certain forms of cancer progression. With our synthetic integrin embedded in an artificial membrane, we will develop a diagnostic device based on competitive ligand binding for the detection of cancer.

 

Contact person: Univ. Prof. Dr. Eva-Kathrin Ehmoser