Proteins in Space
Malaysia will be sending its first astronauts to the International Space Station on 10 October, 2007 where they will be conducting 10 different experiments. One of the experiments is designed by Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) to understand the structure of protein under microgravity.
Proteins are essentially life’s building blocks. Understanding proteins helps us understand how living things function. The shape or structure of protein can influence its function, much like a key to fit a lock. For example, new drugs can be designed so that it is recognised by its target within our body. The UPM experiment will shed light on how proteins fold and form under microgravity, thus telling us more about the shape of proteins. This experiment was designed by Prof. Raja Noor Zaliha Raja Abdul Rahman and her team. Prof. Raja is a Microbiologist/Molecular biologist from Universiti Putra Malaysia.
For more information, please contact
Dr Nayan Kanwal
Research Management Centre
Universiti Putra Malaysia
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +603 8946 6192
Fax: + 603 8942 6539
This information is sent out in celebration of the World Space Week (Oct 4-10) and 50 Years in Space.
