Professor Kasper Locher
Biology
ETH Zurich
Zurich, Switzerland

Thursday, March 4, 2021
11:00 am (CT)
Zoom webinar recording

Abstract

Recent developments in single particle cryo-EM have allowed human ABC transporters to be studied in unprecedented detail. In this lecture I will focus on our results obtained by studying the multidrug transporters ABCB1 and ABCG2 and the lipid transporter ABCB4. These proteins have essential roles, and their dysfunction or inhibition can lead to serious health problems. Conversely, overexpression of ABCB1 and ABCG2 has been associated with poor prognosis and outcome for patients suffering from certain cancers, because the transporters contribute to multidrug resistance of tumor cells. Through a combination of structural studies, functional assays and synthetic chemistry we have gained insight into substrate recognition and transport as well as the modulation of inhibition of these proteins by small-molecule compounds and antibodies. This may lead to new avenues to exploit these proteins as targets of therapeutic approaches.

Kaspar Locher's lab: https://locherlab.ethz.ch/