Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research

Biological origami at molecular level: folding a single protein

Human cells are protecting their proteins from unfolding and aggregating. That’s what biophysicist Alireza Mashaghi and his team discovered after seven years of in-depth research into the folding mechanisms of proteins. With an unprecedented approach, the team was able to study the folding of a single protein molecule.

How oxygen deprivation causes cancer cells to spread

‘I hope my research provides starting points for further research into distinct therapeutic strategies for different subtypes of breast cancer.’

In breast cancer, metastasis rather than the primary tumour is the cause of death. A lack of oxygen in the tumour cells promotes this metastasis, accompanied by a reprogramming of the cell’s metabolism. PhD candidate Qiuyu Liu investigated these alterations to get more knowledge about the actionable mechanisms driving cancer progression in different types of breast cancer. She hopes her research will contribute to new therapies.

Why arteriosclerosis looks like an autoimmune disease

Arteriosclerosis bears great similarities to autoimmune diseases. Leiden researchers show this in a new study in the renowned scientific journal Nature Cardiovascular Research. ‘This discovery suggests that treatment methods for autoimmune diseases might also be effective in preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases,’ says medicine researcher Bram Slütter.