PI: Karl Öttl
Focus: Characteristics of albumin in different pathologies in relation to its redox state and bound ligands
Albumin is an important transport protein for endogenous and exogenous compounds in plasma and due to its cysteine-34 it comprises the largest pool of thiol groups in plasma. Physiological and pathophysiological mechanisms like exercise, ageing or diseases (mainly of the liver) affect binding and transport function as well as the thiol content of albumin. In addition the latter serves as a prognostic marker in severe liver disease. We investigate the binding properties of albumin in relation to its structure and molecular flexibility as well as its redox state and the impact of the redox state on cellular mechanisms in view of inflammatory processes.
Network: Our research is embedded in intensive networking with researchers of the Med Uni Graz (Rudolf Stauber, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology; Christoph Schwab, Ewald Lindner, Department of Ophthalmology), as well as international colleagues (Aleksandra Klisic, Center for Laboratory Diagnositics, Podgorica; Kerstin Schnurr and Katja Waterstradt, MedInnovation, Berlin; Joan Clària, Hospital Clínic Barcelona; Michal Hammel, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley; Kristina Boss, Universitätsklinikum Essen).
