Achievement

Professor David Bevan and graduate students Justin Lemkul and William Allen from the Biochemistry department have studied structure of a protein in the brain (amyloid beta-peptide) that unfolds and aggregates ultimately killing neurons and leading to Alzheimer’s disease. Flavonoids, a class of antioxidant compounds present in red wine has been shown to break up these protein aggregates. This research group has developed molecular dynamics simulations providing details regarding the nature of interactions between amyloid beta-peptide and flavonoids. This information could lead to production of effective therapeutic agents for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers have developed a technique called steered molecular dynamics to identify antioxidant compounds that may be effective towards degenerative diseases. The virtual screening process can narrow the search for effective drugs and save time and money in the drug design process.