CTCMS Student/ECR Seminar - Michael Corbett & Dr Tanveer Hussain

Michael Corbett (PhD, MD Group, SCMB)

Title: From Motion to Signals: Determining How Signal Transduction is Mechanically Coupled Through Type-I Cytokine

Abstract: The Type-I Cytokine Receptors play an essential role in growth, development, inflammaion and immunity.  Despite conserved structural features between the members of this protein receptor family, several mechanisms by which the receptor transmits an activation signal into the cell have been proposed.  An invaluable source of structural information has been obtained from X-ray crystal structures of the extracellular region of these proteins, which have been used to interpret experimental data on the activity of various ligands. Here we test this hypothesis that the extracellular domain contains information on the mechanism of activation for the receptors.  Using the erythropoietin receptor as a test case we examine the behaviour and conformations adopted by the receptor when complexed to a range of agonist and antagonistic ligands.

Dr Tanveer Hussain (Research Fellow, Bernhardt Group, AIBN)

Title: Metal decorated boron carbide (BC₃) monolayer as an efficient hydrogen storage materials

Abstract: Hydrogen (H₂) has emerged as an alternative energy carrier with a strong potential to serve as a vibrant energy based economy for future particularly due to its application in transportation sector. However, H₂ economy outcasts challenges when it comes to the fabrication of  solid-state material for H₂ storage with high gravimetric/volumetric density and efficiency to perform under ambient conditions. Here we propose graphene like boron carbide (BC₃) nano sheets decorated with light and transition metals to storage H₂ efficiently. Our first principles calculations reveal that all the dopants transfer significant amount of their charge to  BC₃ which not only transform them into cationic state but also help in achieving strong binding with the substrate. Each dopant adsorb multiple H₂ molecules through electrostatic and van der Waals interaction with binding energies and storage capacities falling into the desired range.