NWO Building Blocks of Life for Onck and colleagues

Unravelling the molecular mechanism of impaired nuclear transport in ALS

Recently, it was discovered that multiple neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS are linked to impaired nucleocytoplasmic transport, which is mediated by the nuclear pore complex (NPC). ZIAM researcher Prof.dr.ir. Patrick Onck will team up with Prof.dr.ir. Cees Dekker (Delft University of Technology) and Dr. Liesbeth Veenhoff (UMCG/ERIBA) and a leading company in drug screening (Pivot Park Screening Centre BV) to explore the molecular mechanism responsible for reduced NPC transport in neurodegenerative diseases, particularly ALS. Aim of the project is to produce major new scientific insight as well as novel targets for medication.

Research in the Onck group aims at understanding the micromechanical and functional behavior of (biological) materials based on an accurate description of the underlying (bio-)physical mechanisms. Computational techniques such as (coarse-grained) molecular dynamics and finite element methods are being used to explore fundamental processes in living cells and in smart, responsive materials.